Do mental health and self-concept associate with rhinoplasty requests?

SUMMARY: Considering the increasing tendency towards cosmetic rhinoplasty and conflicting data in this regard, and in order to assess the role of mental health and self-concept in rhinoplasty patients, this study was performed at Taleghani Hospital in Tehran during 2003-2004. This was a case-control study of 52 rhinoplasty patients admitted to the ear, nose and throat (ENT) and oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) wards of Taleghani Hospital and 52 control subjects who were matched according to age, gender, marital status, economic state, education level and occupation with the former group. Data were gathered using the 'General Health Questionnaire-28' and 'Roger's Self-Concept questionnaire', and then were analysed by t, Pearson, Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. The comparison of mental health (including the total score and the scores of subscales for depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and social incompatibility) and self-concept between rhinoplasty patients and the control group has not been shown to be statistically different. It seems that there is no relationship between mental health, self-concept and the decision to undergo rhinoplasty. However, more elaborate studies are needed to bring the demographic, sociocultural and psychological factors into consideration.