Psychiatric morbidity in children and adolescents with dermatological disorders.

Background: Understanding the existence of a cycle, where psychological disturbances cause skin diseases and in turn, skin diseases cause psychological disorders, provides the basis for good dermatological practice.

Objective: The aim of this case-control study is to examine the psychiatric morbidity of dermatological disorders in children and adolescents with no history of psychiatric disorders.

Method: In this study, 502 participants (251 patients and 251 healthy individuals) were evaluated according to DSM-IV criteria. All participants were interviewed and evaluated using the Turkish version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia - Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAI-1 and STAI-2), the Childhood Depression Inventory (CDI), adolescent and parent forms of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-A and SDQ-P) and a questionnaire evaluating child's level of school success.

Results: Our results indicated that the rates of general psychiatric comorbidity, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and adjustment disorders were significantly higher in the study group compared to the control group. The CDI, STAI-1, STAI-2, and SDQ (and subscales) scores were significantly higher in the study group. Moreover, psychiatric comorbidity was higher in inflammatory and allergic dermatoses compared to other dermatological subgroups. Having a dermatological disease restricts physical activity thus increasing the risk of psychiatric comorbidity.

Conclusions: Investigating the education, attitudes, and awareness of dermatologists about psychocutaneous disorders might contribute to the development of new educational strategies and elicit appropriate biopsychosocial approaches.