Impact of Automatic Thoughts and Body Investment on Psychological Wellbeing among Women Diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Abstract

Automatic Thoughts are defined as thoughts that are instantaneous, habitual, and nonconscious. Body investment has to do with a person’s feelings and attitudes about their body, the level of care and protection they show for their body, and their comfort with being touched by other people. Psychological well-being is defined as one’s level of psychological happiness/health, encompassing life satisfaction, and feelings of accomplishment. A correlational design was used to determine whether automatic thoughts and its dimensions predict psychological wellbeing and its dimensions. The same was also adopted to study if body investment and its dimensions predict psychological wellbeing and its dimensions. Non-probability purposive sampling and snowball technique was used to collect the data of 365 participants and the sample consisted of women that are diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) between the age range of 18 – 30. The findings of the study revealed that automatic thoughts – personal maladjustment and desire for change and low self-esteem predicts psychological wellbeing – autonomy and personal relation with others. Results also indicated that body investments and its dimensions (body image, feelings and attitude, comfort in touch and body protection) predict psychological wellbeing personal growth and purpose in life. Late menstrual period and Participants being worried about having PCOS predicted psychological well-being- autonomy and personal growth. Participant’s family and friends awareness on PCOS predicted psychological well-being – environmental mastery and lastly being self-conscious as a result of having PCOS predicts psychological well-being – purpose in life.