Examination of relationship factors between psychological resilience and social support in adolescent obesity

Abstract

Purpose: Childhood obesity is one of the most severe public health problems, and psychiatric conditions have been associated with obesity. In this study, we aimed to investigate psychological resilience and possible related factors in adolescents with obesity.

Method: The study included 90 adolescents with obesity and 100 healthy adolescents of similar age. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, the Child and Youth Resilience Measure-28 (CYRM-28), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Scale scores were compared by Pearson's correlation coefficient test with SPSS-23. Multiple linear regression was performed to describe the relationships between variables.

Results: The adolescents participating in the study were similar in terms of age and gender. Psychological resilience and social support in the obesity group were lower than in the control group (p < 0.05). A negative relationship was found between body mass index (BMI) and resilience levels of adolescents with obesity, and a positive relationship was found between social support and resilience levels (p = 0.027 and p < 0.001, respectively). The perceived family and significant other social support subscale scores of adolescents in the obesity group were significantly lower than in the control group (p = 0.037 and p = 0.023, respectively). The most related variable with the CYRM-28 was the level of perceived social support: standardized β = 0.409; t(151) = 5.626; p < 0.001.

Conclusion: A higher BMI has a negative effect on psychological resilience, and family support tends to be lower in these cases. New studies are needed to clarify whether this result is one of the causes of obesity or one of its consequences.

Keywords: Adolescence; Obesity; Psychological resilience; Social support.