Individuals’ Active Actions in Reconstructing Psychosocial Balance Following Bariatric Surgery: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Bariatric surgery, in addition to its physical consequences, is accompanied by extensive psychological and social changes in individuals’ lives. Following surgery, many individuals encounter new challenges related to their bodies, eating behaviors, emotions, and social relationships. The present study aimed to explain individuals’ active actions in reconstructing psychosocial balance following bariatric surgery. This qualitative study was conducted using grounded theory based on the systematic approach proposed by Strauss and Corbin (2015). The participants consisted of 40 individuals who had undergone bariatric surgery, including sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass, at least six months before participation. Sampling was initially purposive and subsequently theoretical and continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations and were analyzed concurrently with data collection. The data analysis revealed that life following bariatric surgery involves a complex and fluctuating process of reconstructing psychosocial balance. The study’s core category was identified as “active actions for reconstructing psychosocial balance.” This category comprised nine subcategories: adaptation to the new body, management of unhealthy eating behaviors and development of positive alternative behaviors, body image management, emotion regulation, management of social interactions, self-advocacy, weight and body monitoring, development of substitute addictive behaviors, and meaning-making of the experience. These actions indicate that individuals actively attempt to adapt to their new bodies, regulate their emotions, manage their social relationships, and redefine their lived experiences following surgery. The findings demonstrated that reconstructing psychosocial balance after bariatric surgery is an active, dynamic, and multidimensional process shaped through a combination of individual and social actions. Attention to these active actions may play an important role in designing psychological interventions and supportive programs intended to improve individuals’ adjustment following bariatric surgery.