Long-term psychosocial characteristics of patients treated for idiopathic scoliosis

Psychosocial characteristics of 95 female patients treated with Milwaukee bracing for idiopathic scoliosis were examined using a battery of five psychosocial scales. Sixty-five patients treated with bracing alone and 30 patients who also underwent arthrodesis for curve progression were compared with 49 age-matched female controls. At an average follow-up of 7 years, no differences in depression or health locus of control existed. Significant perceptions of discrimination and a lower satisfaction of overall appearance was recalled during the treatment phase. By final follow-up, there was no longer any difference between the patients and controls in these areas. Significantly, differences in body-image scores persisted at follow-up. Operative patients had a more negative body image of the axial skeleton in comparison with the braced and control groups. We conclude that transient psychological effects are often present during treatment, and a lower body image may persist for several years in surgical patients.