BDD Test (Body Dysmorphic Disorder)

A BDD screening test based on the BDDQ (Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire), a validated brief screener for body dysmorphic disorder. Includes BDD-YBOCS severity interpretation and complete guide to BDD diagnosis and treatment. Phillips (1996).

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a DSM-5-TR obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorder characterized by persistent preoccupation with one or more perceived flaws or defects in physical appearance that are not observable or appear slight to others. These preoccupations cause significant distress and lead to repetitive behaviors (checking, seeking reassurance, camouflaging) or mental acts that are difficult to control.

BDD affects approximately 1.7–2.4% of the general population and is equally common in men and women. The most commonly preoccupying body areas include skin (73%), hair (56%), nose (37%), weight (22%), and stomach (22%), though any body area can be the focus. BDD is associated with high psychiatric comorbidity (depression, social anxiety, OCD) and significantly elevated suicide risk, suicide attempt rates of 22–24% have been reported in clinical samples.

BDD is frequently misdiagnosed or missed in clinical settings, partly because patients often present to dermatology or cosmetic surgery rather than mental health. Evidence-based treatments include CBT with ERP (specifically targeting BDD-related rituals) and SSRIs at higher doses than typically used for depression.

BDD Screening Questions (BDDQ)

Based on the BDDQ (Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire). Answer honestly, this screening does not diagnose BDD.

BDD-YBOCS Severity Reference

The BDD-YBOCS (Phillips et al., 1997) is the standard severity measure for BDD in clinical trials. It assesses preoccupation, distress, interference, resistance, and control for both appearance concerns and BDD behaviors.

BDD-YBOCS Total (0–48)

Common BDD Behaviors

BDD vs Related Conditions

OCD-Spectrum Outcome Tracking

BDD-YBOCS, OCI-R, Y-BOCS, and EDE-Q, integrated OCD-spectrum and eating disorder outcome monitoring for outpatient and IOP programs.