Revising the bariatric psychological evaluation to improve clinical and research utility

Although psychological evaluations are a routine component of the bariatric surgery process, the goals commonly identified for bariatric psychological evaluations have not been realized. This brief report describes a revised bariatric psychological evaluation designed to repurpose the evaluation towards more achievable and equally valuable goals. Changes include revisions to the evaluation contents and administration methods. The revised evaluation: (1) includes pre- and post-bariatric psychological assessments to capture important surgery-related changes in psychosocial status, physical functioning, and quality of life; (2) incorporates measures of functional capacity, treatment adherence, and patient-centered goals; (3) improves clinical utility by using the post-surgery assessment data to identify patients who may benefit from psychosocial interventions; (4) expands opportunities for bariatric psychology research.