Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ)

The Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire (DCQ) is a brief self-report measure designed to assess dysmorphic concern—preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance that may be indicative of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) or related problems.

  • Structure: The DCQ consists of 7 items, each scored on a 4-point Likert scale (typically 0 to 3), yielding a total score range from 0 to 21.

  • Purpose: To screen for body image-related distress, particularly useful in identifying individuals who may warrant further assessment for BDD.

  • Population: It can be used in both clinical and non-clinical populations, including dermatology, cosmetic surgery, and general psychiatric settings.

There is no universal clinical cut-off for the DCQ, but various studies have suggested indicative thresholds:

  • General screening: A score of ≥9 has been proposed in some studies as a possible cut-off suggestive of significant dysmorphic concern.

  • Some cosmetic surgery and dermatology studies have used thresholds like ≥11 to identify high-risk individuals.

These cut-offs vary by population and context, so clinical judgment is important.

Psychometric Properties

The DCQ has demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity.

  • Internal consistency: Cronbach's alpha ranges from 0.80 to 0.90

  • Sensitivity & Specificity:

    • In Veale et al. (2012) (study using the DCQ in cosmetic surgery settings), a cut-off of ≥9 achieved:

      • Sensitivity: 95%

      • Specificity: 93%

      • AUC (Area Under the Curve): 0.97

    • These results suggest excellent screening utility in cosmetic or dermatological contexts.

References

Oosthuizen, P., Lambert, T., & Castle, D. (1998). Dysmorphic concern: Prevalence and associations with clinical variables. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 32(1), 129–132.
https://doi.org/10.3109/00048679809062713

Veale, D., Bewley, A., & Eshkevari, E. (2012). Body dysmorphic disorder in a sample of cosmetic surgery patients. European Journal of Plastic Surgery, 35(5), 305–310.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-011-0665-6