The Impact of Rhinoplasty and Positive Psychotherapy on Social Competence and Affective States in Women Seeking Aesthetic Enhancement

Background: Given the increasing prevalence of aesthetic enhancement procedures, understanding the comprehensive psychological impact, particularly through interventions like rhinoplasty and positive psychotherapy (PPT) on social competence and affective states, is crucial. Objectives: This research aimed to investigate the individual and combined effects of rhinoplasty and PPT on social competence, as well as on both positive and negative affective states, in women seeking aesthetic enhancement. Methods: This pre-test/post-test control group quasi-experimental study examined 34 women pursuing rhinoplasty in Ahvaz, Iran, in 2023. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 17 each): A rhinoplasty-only control group or a combined intervention group receiving rhinoplasty plus eight weekly 90-minute PPT sessions. Primary outcomes were measured using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the Social Competence Questionnaire (SCQ) at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in SPSS version 26. Results: Results indicated significant main effects of time for social competence, positive affect, and negative affect, signifying changes in all three variables over the study's duration (P = 0.001, η² = 0.80-0.93). A significant time by group interaction effect was observed for social competence, indicating greater improvement in the combined intervention group compared to the control group, although no such interaction was found for positive or negative affect. Conclusions: Rhinoplasty alone improved positive and negative affect, but combining it with PPT uniquely enhanced social competence by 26% in the combined group. This integrated approach offers a more holistic improvement in psychological well-being for women seeking aesthetic enhancement.