A qualitative investigation of the phenomenology of muscle dysmorphia: Part 1

Abstract

Muscle dysmorphia (MD) is a psychological disorder defined by preoccupation with one's perceived lack of muscularity and/or leanness, causing significant functional impairment. Studies of individuals with diagnosed MD are rare and no large-scale qualitative studies of the disorder exist. We conducted a qualitative study exploring the lived experiences of 29 individuals with diagnosed MD. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we generated five themes capturing the core features of MD. We identified two distinct phenotypes of MD: a “muscular/lean phenotype” focused on both gaining muscle and remaining lean, and a “muscular phenotype” with a sole preoccupation of increasing muscle mass. Participan..