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Psychological differences between early and late onset psoriasis: A study of personality traits, anxiety and depression in psoriasis.

Remröd, Charlotta LU ; Sjöström, Karin LU and Svensson, Åke LU (2013) In British Journal of Dermatology 169(2). p.344-350
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Onset of psoriasis may occur at any age. Early negative experiences often influence personality development, and may lead to physical disease, anxiety and depression in adulthood. Knowledge about onset of psoriasis and psychopathology is limited. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether patients with early onset psoriasis differ psychologically from patients with late onset, regarding personality traits, anxiety and depression. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 consecutively recruited outpatients with psoriasis. A psychosocial interview was performed followed by self-assessment of validated questionnaires; Swedish universities Scales of Personality (SSP), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI,... (More)
BACKGROUND: Onset of psoriasis may occur at any age. Early negative experiences often influence personality development, and may lead to physical disease, anxiety and depression in adulthood. Knowledge about onset of psoriasis and psychopathology is limited. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether patients with early onset psoriasis differ psychologically from patients with late onset, regarding personality traits, anxiety and depression. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 consecutively recruited outpatients with psoriasis. A psychosocial interview was performed followed by self-assessment of validated questionnaires; Swedish universities Scales of Personality (SSP), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, Form-Y), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Psoriasis severity was assessed by the Psoriasis Severity and Area Index (PASI). RESULTS: Patients with early onset psoriasis (< age 20) were significantly more anxious and depressed than patients with late onset. In multiple linear regression models, younger age at onset of psoriasis was a significant determinant of higher scores of four personality traits, i.e. SSP-Embitterment, -Trait irritability, -Mistrust and -Verbal trait aggression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that early detection of psychological vulnerability when treating children and adolescents with psoriasis seems to be of great importance. Traits of psychological vulnerability and pessimistic personality traits were found to be significantly associated with early onset of psoriasis, but not with disease duration in this study. These traits may be seen as a consequence of psoriasis, and / or as individual traits modulating and impairing clinical course and efforts to cope with psoriasis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
British Journal of Dermatology
volume
169
issue
2
pages
344 - 350
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000323037400021
  • pmid:23565588
  • scopus:84881579398
ISSN
1365-2133
DOI
10.1111/bjd.12371
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Department of Dermatology and Venerology (013241320), Obstetric, Gynaecological and Prenatal Ultrasound Research Unit (013242720), Occupational and Environmental Dermatology Unit (013241310)
id
3ff40bb9-efb3-4f75-8b76-38a2d97da5eb (old id 3734040)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23565588?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 09:51:16
date last changed
2022-03-27 01:30:52
@article{3ff40bb9-efb3-4f75-8b76-38a2d97da5eb,
  abstract     = {{BACKGROUND: Onset of psoriasis may occur at any age. Early negative experiences often influence personality development, and may lead to physical disease, anxiety and depression in adulthood. Knowledge about onset of psoriasis and psychopathology is limited. OBJECTIVES: To examine whether patients with early onset psoriasis differ psychologically from patients with late onset, regarding personality traits, anxiety and depression. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 101 consecutively recruited outpatients with psoriasis. A psychosocial interview was performed followed by self-assessment of validated questionnaires; Swedish universities Scales of Personality (SSP), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI, Form-Y), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Psoriasis severity was assessed by the Psoriasis Severity and Area Index (PASI). RESULTS: Patients with early onset psoriasis (&lt; age 20) were significantly more anxious and depressed than patients with late onset. In multiple linear regression models, younger age at onset of psoriasis was a significant determinant of higher scores of four personality traits, i.e. SSP-Embitterment, -Trait irritability, -Mistrust and -Verbal trait aggression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that early detection of psychological vulnerability when treating children and adolescents with psoriasis seems to be of great importance. Traits of psychological vulnerability and pessimistic personality traits were found to be significantly associated with early onset of psoriasis, but not with disease duration in this study. These traits may be seen as a consequence of psoriasis, and / or as individual traits modulating and impairing clinical course and efforts to cope with psoriasis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Remröd, Charlotta and Sjöström, Karin and Svensson, Åke}},
  issn         = {{1365-2133}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{344--350}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{British Journal of Dermatology}},
  title        = {{Psychological differences between early and late onset psoriasis: A study of personality traits, anxiety and depression in psoriasis.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bjd.12371}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/bjd.12371}},
  volume       = {{169}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}