Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
BMC Psychology, cilt.14, sa.1, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Background: Cosmetic surgery is shaped not only by physical concerns but also by psychosocial factors such as body perception, self-esteem, and relationship satisfaction; however, despite the increasing demand, the interaction of these factors is not sufficiently explained in the literature. This study aims to investigate the mediating roles of self-esteem and relationship satisfaction in the relationship between body perception and surgical demand among young adults scheduled for plastic surgery. Methods: This cross-sectional and multivariate correlational study was conducted in Turkey at the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinic of a public hospital between March 2024 and March 2025. A total of 547 volunteers participated. The study employed a regression-based parallel mediation analysis within the framework of the Psychosocial Well-Being Model. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the Patient Information Form, the Aesthetic Surgery Acceptance Scale (ASAS; Henderson-King), the Body Perception Scale (BPS; Secord & Jourard), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg), and the Relationship Satisfaction Scale (RSS; Hendrick). Statistical analyses included descriptive tests, group comparison tests (t-test, ANOVA), correlation analyses, and parallel mediation analysis performed using SPSS and jamovi software. Results: The participants had an average age of 25.86 ± 3.75 years, and the majority were women (72.4%). In the regression-based parallel mediation model used in this study, global SEM model-fit indices are not applicable; therefore, model adequacy was evaluated through the significance of direct and indirect effects and the explained variance (R²). According to the results, body perception affected surgical acceptance both directly (β = 0.0932, p < 0.001) and indirectly through self-esteem (β=-0.0261, p = 0.021) and relationship satisfaction (β = 0.0169, p = 0.016). Body perception positively affected self-esteem (β = 0.1342, p < 0.001) and relationship satisfaction (β = 0.0952, p < 0.001), while an increase in self-esteem decreased acceptance of surgery (β=-0.1942, p = 0.018). The total effect was significant (β = 0.0840, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of considering psychological variables, such as body perception, self-esteem, and relationship satisfaction, in the evaluation of individuals seeking aesthetic surgery. However, given the modest explanatory power of the model, these findings should be interpreted cautiously and suggest that psychosocial screening may serve as a supportive component of comprehensive preoperative evaluation rather than an independent decision-making tool. Trial registration: Not applicable.