Clinical and psychological characteristics and targets for psychotherapy at atopic dermatitis patients

Abstract

Aim of the study. The aim of this study was to evaluate levels of anxiety and depression in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), leading behavioral strategies for coping with stress and their correlation with the severity of dermatological symptoms in patients with AD, as well as the determination of psychotherapeutic targets for improving medical and mental health care for patients with AD. Subject or material and methods. 56 patients with atopic dermatitis and 60 healthy individuals in the control group were examined using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) by C.D. Spielberger, The Coping Strategy Indicator (CSI) by J.H. Amirkhan and projective technique the Sentence Completion Test by Dr. Joseph M. Sacks and Dr. Sidney Levy. Dermatological assessment was performed using The SCORAD Index. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 12 software package. Results. The AD patients significantly more often turned to “Avoidance strategy” rather than healthy subjects. Unlike healthy patients, those with AD used “Seeking social support” and “Problem solving” as coping tech niques considerably less. At the same time the dermatosis severity positively correlated with the “Avoidance strategy”, state-trait anxiety scores and severity of depressive symptoms. In addition, disease duration had a considerable influence on the level of depression, and retrospective treatment success had a positive impact on reduction of depressive symptoms. The AD patients displayed significant difficulties within relations with the opposite sex (36%), with father (29%), guilt (39%) and regrets of untapped opportunities (43%) that required psychotherapeutic correction. antianxiety therapy and of maladaptive behavioral strategies, as relations family,