Body-Image in Patients with Scoliosis as External Validity Criterion for SRS-22

For patients with idiopathic scoliosis, the quality of life is a key outcome criterion. SRS-22 is a patient outcome questionnaire designed by the Scoliosis Research Society. It is an effective diagnostic tool for a medical psychologist. Based on reliable psychometry, the questionnaire has been adapted to many linguistic cultures and is content-specific to patients with idiopathic scoliosis. However, its empirical validity remains unclear when it comes to psychological constructs that shape the perception of the illness and the self-image in patients with distortive diseases. This study correlated the results of the SRS-22 questionnaire with the data obtained using the Body Appreciation Scale. The study included 66 patients (29.6 ± 6.3 y.o.) with grades II–IV spinal deformity, who were rehabilitating after surgical treatment (62%) or undergoing conservative corset treatment (38%). The resulting body image demonstrated a three-factor structure with functional, social, and latent social components. Body image had a strong effect on self-perception: the overall quality of life depended on the functional image, which the patients associated with satisfactory motor and social activities, as well as with ability to derive aesthetic pleasure from their own appearance. The research confirmed the empirical validity of SRS-22 in relation to the body image in patients with idiopathic scoliosis. It could be used as a tool for primary or dynamic psychodiagnostics and psychological support.

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