Psychosocial Adjustment of Two Boys With Gynecomastia

Psychosocial Impact of Adolescent Gynecomastia

“…27 Related reports reveal a higher association of depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, and suicidal ideation. 9,11,12,14,15 Supporting this existing literature, the participants with gynecomastia in our study had a significantly lower rating of self-esteem as measured by the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the mental health, social functioning, and role-emotional domains of the Short Form-36 than male controls independent of body mass index, suggesting that these emotional impairments are due to gynecomastia and are not a product of being overweight. In addition, "adolescence" itself does not account for these differences, as there was no age difference between those with and without gynecomastia in our study.…”

“…12,14,15 Case reports concerning adolescents with gynecomastia have described increased feelings of loneliness, restlessness, and tension in these patients. 27 Related reports reveal a higher association of depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, and suicidal ideation.…”

“…Published work consists largely of single case reports using psychological assessments and retrospective chart reviews. [12][13][14][15][16] These studies suggest a considerable impact on younger patients with gynecomastia, but prospective data will better inform patients, families, and providers when making treatment decisions. In the current study, we sought to evaluate the physical and psychological impact of gynecomastia on adolescent males using a prospective study design.…”

The Psychological Burden of Idiopathic Adolescent Gynecomastia

“…6 Of these studies, only one has used validated tools of psychological measurement to quantify the level of disturbance in two patients with idiopathic adolescent gynecomastia. 6 Our study was designed to examine a larger group of patients with these tools to gain insight into the prevalence and types of mental illness seen in patients with idiopathic adolescent gynecomastia and to determine whether they are predisposed to these conditions as a result of coping with abnormal breasts. Using the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children, our study shows that the majority of our patients suffered very high levels of humiliation and social anxiety.…”

“…2,3,5 Unfortunately, only one case report has made use of validated psychiatric tools to evaluate these patients. 6 Until the true frequency and severity of emotional disturbance in this population are known, it is not possible to make meaningful recommendations to physicians to help guide both surgical and psychiatric treatment (Fig. 1).…”