Evaluation of Social Anxiety Levels and Related Factors in Psoriasis Patients: A Controlled, Cross- Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Psoriasis patients usually feel shame over their appearance and suffer from poor self-esteem, social anxiety, and avoidance. However, little is known about factors affecting social anxiety levels in these patients. We sought to examine the psychological, as well as disease-related factors which may affect social anxiety levels in psoriasis patients. Methods: Our study consisted of 50 psoriasis outpatients and a corresponding 50 age and sex-matched healthy control volunteers who filled out the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Ways of coping questionnaire (WCQ) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised: abbreviated form (EPQR-A). The patients also completed the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The extensiveness and severity of the disease were examined by employing the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Results: Compared with our controls, psoriasis patients displayed significantly higher degrees of social anxiety. Both social fear⁄ avoidance subscale scores of LSAS showed a significant correlation to impairment in quality of life (r: 0.373, p: 0.008, r: 0.336, p: 0.018). No appreciable correlation was observable among the PASI and LSAS scores. Regression analysis showed that EPQR-A-extraversion and neuroticism subscale scores had significant influence on LSAS-Social Anxiety scores, accounting for 41.5% of the variance. EPQR-A-extraversion was found to have significant influence on LSAS-Social avoidance scores, accounting for 26.8% of the variance. Conclusion: Our results indicate that psoriasis causes increased levels of social anxiety which is closely related to impaired quality of life. Personality characteristics might contribute considerably in expressing psychosocial morbidity among individuals living with psoriasis.

Dermatoses in the hospital and their impact on quality of life

“…These results agree with the data of the literature, many publications have shown that psoriasis seriously impaired the quality of life and was responsible of social anxiety in patients [4]. Verneuil's disease is also responsible of a significant impairment on quality of life mainly due to the sexual disorders caused by this pathology [5].…”