Weight-based bullying and compromised peer relationships in young adult bariatric patients

The experience of weight-based bullying in young adult bariatric patients has not yet been examined. Thirteen young adults (age, 18–24) that were seeking or had undergone bariatric surgery participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. A thematic analysis informed by grounded theory principles...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of health psychology 2017-07, Vol.22 (8), p.1046-1055
Main Authors: Yufe, Shira J, Taube-Schiff, Marlene, Fergus, Karen D, Sockalingam, Sanjeev
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Avoidance behavior
Bariatric Surgery - psychology
Bullying
Coping
Female
Gastric restriction surgery
Gastrointestinal surgery
Grounded theory
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Intimacy
Male
Obesity - psychology
Obesity - surgery
Patients
Peer Group
Peer relationships
Social interaction
Surgery
Verbal abuse
Victims
Young Adult
Young adults
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Summary:The experience of weight-based bullying in young adult bariatric patients has not yet been examined. Thirteen young adults (age, 18–24) that were seeking or had undergone bariatric surgery participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. A thematic analysis informed by grounded theory principles was conducted. Analysis revealed the following three major themes: (1) being the biggest kid, (2) coping through avoidance, and (3) compromised peer and intimate relationships. Victims of weight-based bullying often avoid and withdraw socially in response to persistent verbal abuse. The decision to pursue bariatric surgery at a relatively young age adds another dimension of difficulty when navigating peer relationships.
ISSN:1359-1053
1461-7277
DOI:10.1177/1359105315622559