The Effect of Stress Coping on Mood Variability in Morbidly Obese Patients Qualified for Intragastric Balloon Treatment: Preliminary Results

Introduction: Obesity, like any medical condition, is a stressful experience that detrimentally affects the quality of life and mood of the patient. Objectives: To evaluate the correlation between stress coping mechanisms and mood changes in morbidly obese patients. Subjects and Methods: Stress coping styles (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations [CISS]) and mood (UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist [UMACL]) were evaluated among 16 morbidly obese patients (42.9 +/- 13.4 years, body mass index = 50.00 +/- 6.85) who were deemed suitable for intragastric balloon treatment. The CISS questionnaire was completed once, whereas the UMACL was filled in every day, for seven consecutive days. Results: It was seen that the main effect of an increased task-oriented coping (TOC) style was to significantly decrease the level of tense arousal (TA), and increase the level of energetic arousal (EA). Individuals with a higher level of TOC generally had a higher level of EA than those with a lower level of TOC. Conclusions: The TOC style shows significant importance for influencing the mood of people with morbid obesity. This applies both to the level of TA, which is related to the experienced stress, and the level of EA, which is important for coping with the disease.