Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, PCOS, is an endocrine condition among individuals born with ovaries. Though the condition name refers to the underdeveloped follicles as multiple cysts on the ovary, individuals living with PCOS frequently encounter menstrual irregularity, hirsutism (male-patterned body/facial hair), acne, and obesity. Prior research has noted that PCOS also is associated with psychological outcomes, most notably increased risk for depression and anxiety. However, relative to large amount of medical research on PCOS, few studies have examined these psychological outcomes and their etiology. Work is needed that uncovers the connection between the risks (e. g., stigma, weight bias, and quality of life), the protective (e.g., self-compassion, social support) factors that explain these psychological outcomes (e.g., depression, anxiety). The present study examined potential risks and protective factors that might explain the increased risk for depressive and anxiety symptoms in individuals living with PCOS. Specifically, we examined risk and protective factors reported by a gender (48% cisgender women, 52% gender diverse) and ethnically diverse (46% white non-Hispanic, 54% ethnically diverse) sample of individuals living with PCOS. Ages ranged from 19-46, with an average age of 29 (SD = 6.49). Individuals initially completed a qualitative interview by phone and were subsequently invited to participate in an online survey. Of the original 50 individuals living with PCOS, 46 completed the online survey through Redcap, answering questions about risk (perceived stigma, body image) and protective (self-compassion, social support) factors, and mental health (depression and anxiety). Results of bivariate correlations revealed that perceived stigma (r = .37, p = .02; r = .34, p = .03) and body image (r = .53, p = .00; r = .38, p = .02) were significantly related to more depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. In addition, self-compassion (r = -.72, p = .00; r = -.61, p = .00) and social support (r = -.42, p = .01; r = -.37, p = .02) were significantly related to fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. Thus, this study found evidence that the more perceived stigma and negative body image, the more depressive and anxiety symptoms, whereas the more self-compassion and social support, the less depressive and anxiety symptoms in individuals living with PCOS. Importantly, the study had a small sample size, and the design was a self-report cross-sectional study. Thus, future research is needed that is longitudinal in design with large samples of diverse individuals with PCOS. Still, the present study is among the small literature attempting to understand the psychosocial risk and protective factors that may explain depressive and anxiety symptoms in this vulnerable population.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:asrf-1874 |
| Date | 07 April 2022 |
| Creators | Armstrong, Baylee, Phillips, Taylor, Wilson, Natalie, Braun, Kelsey, Williams, Stacey, Ph.D |
| Publisher | Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University |
| Source Sets | East Tennessee State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Appalachian Student Research Forum & Jay S. Boland Undergraduate Research Symposium |
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