180 Plastic Surgical Nursing ❙ July-September 2010 ❙ Volume 30 ❙ Number 3 dysmorphic disorder–like symptoms, body image orienta- tion, having children, been teased for appearance, knowing someone who has had cosmetic surgery, and being recom- mended cosmetic surgery. Agreeability, body image evalua- tion, education, and quality of relationship with parents were negatively related to an interest in cosmetic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The study gives new insights into psy- chosocial factors predicting an interest in cosmetic surgery. In addition to previously known predictors, having been teased for appearance and having children were positive predictors, whereas education and quality of relationship with parents were negative predictors of an interest in cos- metic surgery. The results may contribute to a better under- standing of the various factors that may motivate an indi- vidual to undergo cosmetic surgery. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 124: 2142, 2009.) There may be various motives for a desire to alter one’s appearance by means of surgery. These motives include reconstructive needs, genetic defor- mities, physical complaints, or pure aesthetics. The authors’ aim was to study predictors of the pure cos- metic motives of an interest in cosmetic surgery. Cosmetic surgery is relatively common and has increased during the last decades. 1,2 In the study by von Soest et al. 3 among Norwegian women between 22 and 55 years of age, 7.7 percent reported that they had undergone cosmetic surgery, while 22.6 percent indicated a wish for such a procedure. Internationally, similar or higher numbers have been reported. 2,4 BACKGROUND: The present study investigated psychoso- cial factors expected to predict an interest in cosmetic surgery. It was hypothesized that body dysmorphic disorder-like symptoms, personality, interpersonal attach- ment insecurity, low self-esteem, poor body image, dissatis- faction with sexual life, distorted eating behavior, emotional distress, low education, poor relationship with parents and friends, teasing history, social acceptance of cosmetic sur- gery, and low level of physical activity would relate to an interest in cosmetic surgery. METHODS: Questionnaire data were obtained from 1880 participants who responded to a survey distributed to a representative sample of 3500 Norwegian women between 18 and 35 years of age living in the two northern- most counties. Data were analyzed by univariate and multi- ple logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses showed that an interest in cosmetic surgery was positively related to body Psychosocial Predictors of an Interest in Cosmetic Surgery among Young Norwegian Women A Population-Based Study Iiná Márjá Javo Tore Sørlie, MD, PhD From the Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Univer- sity of Tromsø, and Department of Specialized Psychiatry, University Hospital of North Norway. Received for publication November 26, 2008; accepted June 9, 2009. Reprinted with permission from Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. December 2009, 124(6):2142–2148. Copyright © 2009 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Tore Sørlie, MD, PhD, Department of Specialized Psychiatry, Uni- versity Hospital of North Norway, PB 6124, 9291 Tromsø, Norway (e-mail: tore.sorlie@unn.no). DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3181bcf290