Audit exploring the prevalence and diagnosis of co-morbid Body Dysmorphic Disorder and depression seen within the National & Specialist Mood Disorders team, and the effect of CBT treatment on client outcomes when BDD is co-morbid with depression.

The National & Specialist Mood Disorders Team offer assessments and treatments for those with a diagnosis of depression (with co-morbidities). The presentation of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in the population referred to the team is becoming more prevalent, but the link and outcomes aren’t fully understood. The project will inform the clinic of the characteristics of those clients diagnosed with BDD and co-morbid depression, what the outcomes are, and how these can be improved. It will also allow consideration of the way that the DAWBA is being used within the clinic and consider it’s predictive diagnostic accuracy. Service users will also be interviewed with regards to their treatment as stated below. The findings of the project will improve patient care by allowing more accurate diagnoses to be used, and have implications in terms of allowing more succinct and beneficial treatment of co-morbid BDD and depression.