ROLE OF EMOTIONAL FACTORS IN ADULTS WITH ATOPIC-DERMATITIS

Background The role of anger in the onset or perpetuation of episodes of atopic dermatitis in adults has long been considered an important f actor. The objective was to investigate whether atopic patients feel i neffective in dealing with anger and assertiveness when compared with psoriasis patients and control patients. Methods. Thirty-four adult pa tients with atopic dermatitis were compared to 28 patients with psoria sis and 32 controls, dental patients without major skin disease. Stand ard measures of anxiety, anger, assertion, depression, and locus of co ntrol as well as a measure of anger effectiveness, designed for this s tudy, were used. Results. There were significant differences between a topic dermatitis patients and controls in that atopics felt angry more readily but were less likely to express it, were more anxious and les s assertive, and felt less effective in expressing anger. The only dif ference between psoriasis patients and controls was less ability to ex press anger. Atopic patients were more chronically anxious than those with psoriasis. Conclusions. Adult atopic dermatitis patients are ofte n chronically anxious and feel ineffective in handling anger which sug gests that psychological interventions may prove helpful.