Psychological Characteristics of Children with Psoriasis

Abstract

Background: The disease, regardless of its nosology, involves the child in a different deficient social situation. It creates two restraint conditions for the sick child: restriction of motions or restriction of cognitive activity. The interview with paediatric patients with psoriasis showed that 65% of them were stigmatised in the form of bullying, insults, and humiliation. Concerns about constant skin peeling and odour affect leisurely activity in 15-30% of children with psoriasis. This stigmatisation can lead to changes in behaviour, depression, anxiety, and apprehension. In adolescents with psoriasis, apprehension is increasingly mediated by the features of the attitude toward oneself and is of a contradictory, conflicting nature during this period. A persistently high anxiety level in childhood leads to a wide range of problems, the consequence of which can be impaired development of individual structures and functions and, ultimately, impaired formation of the personality structure as a whole. Objective: The article aims to determine the psychological characteristics of children with psoriasis aged 8–12 years. Materials and Methods: Characterological and behavioural traits were studied in 54 children with psoriasis aged 8–12 years using R. Cattell's multi-factor test (junior version). Characteristics of personality traits in terms of factor scoring were carried out by grouping them by communicative and emotional-volitional components. Results: It was determined that the majority of 8–12-year-old children with psoriasis have an average scoring of the basic factors by both communicative and emotional-volitional components. In addition, half of the children were found to have a low score of factor A “outgoingness” and factor Q3 “self-control”, while a third of the children had a low score of factors C “self-confidence” and F “risk proneness”. High scores were revealed for factors D “excitability” and O “apprehension”. The correlation analysis revealed a significant number of correlations between the bipolar factor indicators. Conclusion: The analysis using R. Cattell's Children's Personality Questionnaire identified the characteristic personality traits of children aged 8 to 12 years with psoriasis. The children are fairly adapted to society, showing activity and moderate sensitivity, and the ability to observe moral standards of behaviour. However, the disease's impact on the formation of psychological characteristics can already be traced: 50% of children with psoriasis have hyperexcitability and lack of self-control; one-third of patients have depressed moods, increased apprehension, seclusiveness, resentfulness, mistrustfulness and nervous tension, increased responsibility for their own actions and deeds, and lack of self-confidence; every fifth patient has a poor concentration of attention, fatigue and a simplified approach to problem-solving. The determined significant number of correlational pleiads between the bipolar factor scores in 8–12-year-old children with psoriasis allows designing approaches to individual and group psychocorrective and psychotherapeutic counselling.