{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T23:49:42Z","timestamp":1788997782083,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,26]],"date-time":"2024-04-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1714089600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Introduction: Psychological vulnerability is a relevant component of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), but it is still under-explored, especially during adolescence. The aim of this study was to describe a selection of psychometric characteristics in a clinical sample of Italian adolescents with PCOS. Moreover, we reported the associations of body image, eating attitudes, and mood with metabolic features. Methods: Our sample included 128 adolescent girls (age range: 14\u201319 years) with PCOS. Validated psychometric questionnaires were administered: State Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Body Attitude Test (BAT), Bulimia Investigation Test (BITE), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Results: Anxiety was the most prevalent mood disorder (63.1% trait anxiety and 57% state anxiety). Our cohort also showed a high prevalence of depression (39.1%), body image dissatisfaction (49.2%), disordered eating (11.7%), and bulimic risk (41.4%). PCOS adolescents with obesity and insulin resistance (IR) had statistically significant higher body image distress compared to those with normal weight and without IR (p &lt; 0.001). The Sobel test for mediation showed that body image dissatisfaction mediates the relationship between state anxiety and bulimic risk (Z = 3.42, p &lt; 0.001) and between depression and bulimic risk (Z = 4.59, p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: A considerable number of patients with PCOS experience psychological disorders during adolescence. IR and obesity play a role in the distress associated with body image, further contributing to psychological vulnerability, especially in the bulimic domain. A comprehensive biopsychosocial approach in adolescents with PCOS represents the basis for effectively managing and preventing complications arising from both psychological and biological disorders in adulthood.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children11050521","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,26]],"date-time":"2024-04-26T10:56:32Z","timestamp":1714128992000},"page":"521","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Body Image and Other Mood Vulnerabilities in Adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Metabolic Alterations"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Federica","family":"Barbagallo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lara","family":"Tiranini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chiara","family":"Placentino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Gynecological Endocrinology and Menopause, IRCCS San Matteo Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giacomo","family":"Mariacci","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Gynecological Endocrinology and Menopause, IRCCS San Matteo Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manuela","family":"Piccinino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Gynecological Endocrinology and Menopause, IRCCS San Matteo Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Cucinella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Gynecological Endocrinology and Menopause, IRCCS San Matteo Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6950-335X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aldo E.","family":"Calogero","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, 95124 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1713-6396","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rossella E.","family":"Nappi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy"},{"name":"Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Gynecological Endocrinology and Menopause, IRCCS San Matteo Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,4,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"G43","DOI":"10.1093\/ejendo\/lvad096","article-title":"International PCOS Network. 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