Assessing Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Abstract Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is common but is often overlooked in clinical settings. This chapter first outlines how to screen for BDD in routine clinical practice, how to diagnose it accurately, and how to differentiate it from other mental health problems and normal appearance concerns. Next, the text describes how to assess outcome, severity, body image quality of life, and processes that are thought to maintain BDD. Last, the chapter addresses a cognitive-behavioral framework for assessment that elicits the core information used to build the client’s psychological formulation. The cognitive-behavioral assessment is based on an updated CBT model that evolves around the notion that people with BDD experience distressing mental imagery of their disliked features, maintained by self-focused attention and safety-seeking behaviors.