Quality of life in women with lipoedema: a contextual behavioral approach
Abstract
Purpose Lipoedema is a chronic, progressive adipose disorder of unknown etiology, often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed as obesity. It manifests itself with accumulation of the fat in lower parts of the body and associated edema and, due to numerous physical and psychological consequences, affects the quality of life (QOL) of those who suffer. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological factors that might have an impact on the QOL of women with lipoedema from the contextual behavioral viewpoint.Methods In an Internet-based cross-sectional study, women suffering from lipoedema (N = 120) were asked to fill in questionnaires assessing: symptom severity, QOL (WHOQOL-BREF), satisfaction with life (SWLS), psychological flexibility (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II), social connectedness (Social Connectedness Scale-Revised) and other psychological factors. The majority of participants were from the USA, the UK, and Australia.Results Multiple hierarchical regression analyses showed that a higher level of QOL was predicted by higher levels of psychological flexibility and social connectedness, while controlling for symptom severity. Higher level of SWL was predicted only by higher level of social connectedness.Conclusions Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with psychological flexibility as the target of change and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy with social connectedness as the target of change might be useful in treating women with lipoedema; however, further research in this area is needed. The authors conclude that psychological and biomedical interventions for women with lipoedema and their QOL merit more attention from researchers and the medical community than is currently received.
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A second study reported that higher levels of acceptance predicted increased quality of life in those living with lipoedema.
“A second study explored the role of acceptance in quality of life in those living with lipoedema. Higher levels of acceptance were reported to predict increased quality of life [36].”
From The role of psychological flexibility in appearance anxiety in people who have experienced a visible burn injury. (2019) · cites this paper as [36]
The findings provide preliminary evidence about the importance of psychological flexibility in the maintenance of appearance anxiety in those with a visible difference.
“This provides exciting preliminary evidence about the importance of psychological flexibility in the maintenance of appearance anxiety in those with a visible difference”
From The role of psychological flexibility in appearance anxiety in people who have experienced a visible burn injury. (2019) · cites this paper as [36]
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“Dudek, Białaszek, and Ostaszewski (2016) conducted a cross-sectional survey of women affected by lipoedema, a chronic condition marked by progressive (visible) fat build-up in the lower parts of the body.”
BackgroundAcceptance and commitment therapy for appearance anxiety: three case studies
Shepherd, L., Turner, A., Reynolds, D. P., & Thompson, A. R. (2020) · Scars, Burns & Healing · doi:10.1177/2059513120967584 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
- Authors
- Dudek, J. E., Białaszek, W., & Ostaszewski, P.
- Affiliations
- Uniwersytet SWPS (PL)
- Corresponding author
- Dudek, Joanna E.
- Venue
- Quality of Life Research
- Published
- 2015-07-28
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 401-408
- ISSN
- 0962-9343 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2649
- OpenAlex
- W945894566
- Cited by
- 108
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 4.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Quality of Life Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Body Contouring and Surgery
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Keywords
- lipedema, quality of life, women, psychological flexibility, social connectedness, acceptance and commitment therapy, functional analytic psychotherapy, life satisfaction, symptom severity, WHOQOL-BREF
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Australia, Body Weight, Chronic Disease, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Quality of Life, Surveys and Questionnaires, Regression Analysis, Stress, Psychological, Internet, Lipedema
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