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. 2018 Jul 25:2018:3269618.
doi: 10.1155/2018/3269618. eCollection 2018.

Are Psychosocial Consequences of Obesity and Hyperandrogenism Present in Adolescent Girls with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Agnieszka Zachurzok  1 , Agnieszka Pasztak-Opilka  2 , Elzbieta Forys-Dworniczak  1 , Agnieszka Drosdzol-Cop  3 , Aneta Gawlik  1 , Ewa Malecka-Tendera  1
Affiliations

Are Psychosocial Consequences of Obesity and Hyperandrogenism Present in Adolescent Girls with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

Agnieszka Zachurzok et al. Int J Endocrinol. .

Abstract

Study objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether body weight status and clinical hyperandrogenism may influence social competencies and psychological gender features in adolescent girls.

Design and participants: In 104 adolescent girls, psychological gender inventory (PGI) and social competencies questionnaire (SCQ) (assessing social abilities in three aspects: intimacy (I), social exposure (SE), and assertiveness (AS)) were performed. Subjects were divided into four subgroups: G1-24 nonobese girls without hyperandrogenism, G2-18 obese girls without hyperandrogenism, G3-30 nonobese hyperandrogenic girls, and G4-32 obese girls with hyperandrogenism.

Results: There were no significant differences in all parts of SCQ and PGI between the study and control groups. The feminine woman type dominated in all groups; in G3 and G4, masculine woman type appeared more often than in G1 and G2 (13.3% and 12.5% versus 4.0% and 0.0%, resp.). In G4, positive relationship between BMI z-score and SCQ (r = 0.4, p = 0.03) was found. In G1, the relationship was opposite (r = -0.5, p = 0.03). Hirsutism correlated negatively with SCQ (r = -0.5, p = 0.02), I (r = -0.5, p = 0.02), and AS (r = -0.5, p = 0.02) only in G1; in other groups, this relationship was insignificant. In G4, higher testosterone level was associated with lower SCQ (r = -0.5, p = 0.008) and AS (r = -0.5, p = 0.003). In G2, testosterone concentration correlated positively with SCQ (r = 0.6, p = 0.01), SE (r = 0.5, p = 0.02), and AS (r = 0.6, p = 0.02).

Conclusion: In adolescent girls, neither body weight nor clinical features of hyperandrogenism seem to be the source of evaluated disorders in psychological functioning.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of low, average, and high results of social competencies inventory in study and control groups. G1: 24 lean girls (BMI < 97th centile) without clinical features of hyperandrogenism; G2: 18 obese girls (BMI > 97th centile) without clinical symptoms of androgen excess; G3: 30 girls with normal body weight (BMI < 97th centile) but with clinical features of hyperandrogenism; and G4: 32 obese girls (BMI > 97th centile) with menstrual disturbances and/or hirsutism.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of types of psychological gender identities in study and control groups. G1: 24 lean girls (BMI < 97th centile) without clinical features of hyperandrogenism; G2: 18 obese girls (BMI > 97th centile) without clinical symptoms of androgen excess; G3: 30 girls with normal body weight (BMI < 97th centile) but with clinical features of hyperandrogenism; and G4: 32 obese girls (BMI > 97th centile) with menstrual disturbances and/or hirsutism.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Correlation between BMI z-score and hirsutism score and social competencies questionnaire (SCQ) and its subscales (intimacy (I), social exposure (SE), and assertiveness (AS)) in G4 (32 obese girls (BMI > 97th centile) with menstrual disturbances and/or hirsutism) and G1 (24 lean girls (BMI < 97th centile) without clinical features of hyperandrogenism).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Correlation between testosterone level and social competencies questionnaire (SCQ) and its subscales (intimacy (I), social exposure (SE), assertiveness (AS)) in G4 (32 obese girls (BMI > 97th centile) with menstrual disturbances and/or hirsutism) and G2 (18 obese girls (BMI > 97th centile) without clinical symptoms of androgen excess).
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