The Psychosocial Effects of Acne on Adolescents

Abstract

To describe the psychosocial impact of acne on adolescents, and, in particular, to assess whether self-concept is affected by medical treatment, we evaluated 39 teenagers presenting for care to a community-based dermatologist. Prior to and following treatment, subjects completed a self-assessment questionnaire, the Piers-Harris self-concept scale, and underwent an objective assessment of acne severity. Fifty-eight percent of subjects were dissatisfied with their facial appearance and this in turn was correlated with feelings of embarrassment and social inhibition (for each, r = 0.48, P less than or equal to 0.005). Subjects' rating of acne severity, but not the dermatologist's, was correlated with dissatisfaction with facial appearance (r = 0.45, P less than or equal to 0.005). Despite these findings, the mean Piers-Harris total t-score (55.4 +/- 7.4) was within the normal range. Fourteen subjects (36%) returned for follow-up and 71% of these were judged by both the dermatologist and themselves to have improved. Following therapy, significant reductions in the adverse consequences of acne were observed with 42% of subjects reporting that their facial appearance was more acceptable to peers, 50% being less embarrassed, and 58% feeling less socially inhibited. Minimal improvement in mean Piers-Harris total t-score was observed (54.6 to 57.4, P = 0.004, paired t-test). Our data demonstrate that acne is perceived by adolescents to have important negative personal and social consequences, and that improvement in these areas may accompany medical treatment.

Roaccutane Treatment Guidelines: Results of an International Survey

“…Influencing factors include the extent of the disease be underestimated and includes depression, anxiety, inter-(trunk and extremities may be involved in addition to the personal and work-related difficulties, and attempted suicide face), the chronic and/or relapsing nature of the disease, the [17][18][19][20]. Therefore, patients with acne-induced psychologilimited benefit of previous conventional therapy, the likelical distress such as severe depression or dysmorphophobia hood of permanent scarring and the degree of acne-induced should be treated with isotretinoin [15] even when such papsychological trauma.…”

“…Many patients with mild or moderate acne, let alone severe acne, scar, and this feature was captured by the questionnaire. The psychological trauma of acne is well documented [17][18][19][20] and was also covered by the questionnaire. Acne morbidity is determined by other influencing factors such as the chronic and/or relapsing na ture of the disease and the limited benefit of previous conventional therapy.…”

Psychosocial Aspects of Acne Vulgaris: A Community-based Study with Korean Adolescents

“…These psychometric evaluations might be used as sensitive and responsive patient-assessed measures in evaluation of psychosocial aspects of other dermatologic diseases. It has only been in recent years that the psychodermatological literature has begun to address the possibility that acne may have a differential psychological and emotional impact according to gender [19][20][21] . The differences between male and female scale scores suggest that the psychological impact of acne may be greater for women than it is for men.…”

Evaluation of self-esteem and dermatological quality of life in adolescents with atopic dermatitis

“…Bununla birlikte deri hastalıklarının kişinin benlik saygısı üzerine etkisinin araştırıldığı çalışmalar ağırlıklı olarak  ziksel görünümün yoğun olarak etkilendiği akne vulgaris üzerine yoğunlaşmıştır. Çoğunluğunu ergenlerin oluşturduğu bu çalışmalarda, sonuçlarımızla benzer şekilde hasta bireylerde benlik saygısının sağlıklı kontrollere göre anlamlı şekilde düştüğü rapor edilmiştir 11,19 . Vitiligo ve kronik ürtikerli hastalarda da benlik saygısının sağlıklı kontrol grubuna göre anlamlı derecede düşük olduğu bildirilmiştir 20 .…”

“…Benlik saygısı yüksek ergenlerin kronik hastalıkları ile ilgili olarak olumlu tutum içinde oldukları bildirilmiştir 9 . Zayıf benlik geliştirmiş bireyler kendilerini yetersiz ve değersiz görmek yanında günlük yaşamda karşılaştıkları sorunlarla başa çıkmakta güçlük çekmekte ve duygularını kontrol etmekte zorlanmaktadırlar 10,11 . Psikososyal ve ruhsal gelişim açısından birçok değişikliğin meydana geldiği ergenlik, benlik saygısı gelişiminde önemli bir dönemi oluşturmaktadır ve bu dönemde bireyin olumlu bir  ziksel görünüş algısına sahip olması benlik saygısı gelişiminde oldukça önemli bir unsurdur.…”