Aspectos psicológicos e reganho de peso no pós-operatório tardio da cirurgia bariátrica

Abstract

Bariatric surgery represents an effective intervention for cases of morbid obesity. However, the literature in the field highlights inconsistencies regarding improvements in mental health, particularly in the postoperative period, and a dearth of information on the late post-surgical phase. This study aimed to evaluate, through online resources, indicators of mental health and psychological functioning in individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery in the late postoperative period, starting from 24 months after the procedure. Two studies were conducted, with a sample of 117 participants in Study I and 27 participants for Study II. In Study I, participants responded to the following instruments: the Self-Reporting Questionnaire, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Eating Pathology Symptoms Scale, Binge Eating Scale, and Personality Inventory for DSM-5 -Brief Version. Volunteers in Study II additionally responded to the Rorschach Method (online R-PAS). The results indicate that psychological symptoms and eating-related issues still prevail in the late postoperative period of bariatric surgery. However, with respect to logical and affective functioning, there appears to be an adaptive process. Logical functioning seems to be characterized by a defensive style, marked by a prevailing simplistic form of cognitive operation and reduced reactivity to emotional stimuli. Affective functioning is marked by vulnerabilities and concerns related to self-image and body perception, which appear to intensify with the passage of time and weight gain. These findings suggest a degree of adaptation during the late postoperative period of bariatric surgery, albeit with the persistence of mental health symptoms. This underscores the imperative of long-term multidisciplinary follow-up and emphasizes the significance of employing a multimethod approach to psychological assessment in this context, providing relevant information for planning individualized interventions, overcoming the limits of self-report instruments.