Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Graduate Department of Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Mary Peterson

Abstract

Obesity is often described as a national epidemic; bariatric surgery is one form of treatment that has become increasingly popular. Bariatric surgery is successful and many patients experience significant weight loss; however, many patients struggle to maintain their new weight. In an attempt to respond to the problem of weight loss maintenance, bariatric surgery programs are incorporating behavioral management-strategies in addition to typical program support. Support groups are often offered by bariatric surgery programs and are commonly focused around psychoeducation, behavioral strategies, and community support. This study provides a mixedmethod quantitative and qualitative analysis on life after bariatric surgery, primarily in the areas of program support, social support, support group, and quality of life. A sample of 29 postoperative bariatric surgery patients from a bariatric surgery program completed the SF-36v2 health survey to measure their health-related quality of life and participated in a qualitative interview. Consistent with current literature, the interview and results are organized according to the following themes; program support, social support, support group involvement, and quality of life. This study adds to the limited field of research on qualitative information regarding bariatric surgery.

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