Psychological assessment of the patient undergoing bariatric surgery.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the critical domains assessed during the psychological evaluation of candidates for bariatric surgery. Although no formal standard exists in the literature, there is growing recognition of the important elements to be addressed and the appropriate means for collecting the necessary data to determine psychological readiness for these procedures. Information regarding the components of the clinical interview and the specific measures used for psychological testing are discussed. Given the limited data on predicting success after surgery, determining psychological contraindications for surgery is addressed. Additionally, the multiple functions served by the psychologist during this assessment procedure are highlighted along with the value of this procedure in the patients' preparation for surgery.