Evaluation of Psychological Factors in Alopecia Areata

Abstract

It is suggested that psychiatric disorders play a role in the pathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA), and the disease itself can lead to psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the levels of depression, anxiety, and alexithymia in AA patients and to determine their relationship with the clinical features of the disease. The study included 73 AA patients and 73 healthy individuals. All participants were evaluated with the Beck depression scale, Beck anxiety scale and Toronto alexithymia scale. The severity of depression and anxiety symptoms of the patients were found to be significantly higher than the controls (p=,001 and p=,003, respectively). It was observed that there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the level of alexithymic properties (p =,059). In AA patients, there was no statistically significant relationship between psychiatric symptoms and the patient's age, duration of the disease and severity of the disease (p> 0.05). A significant relationship was observed between the level of depression and the sex of the patient (r = 0.43; p = 0.042). Consequently, because of the symptoms of depression and anxiety in AA patients, patients should not only be handled in terms of skin lesions but also should be evaluated psychologically and should be referred to the psychiatry outpatient clinic when necessary. Thus, we think that the success of treatment can be increased.

Keywords: Alopecia areata, Depression, Anxiety, Alexithymia.

Special Issue of Health Sciences

DOI: 10.7176/JSTR/6-03-16