Summary Background Stress is an important factor in the onset, exacerbation and reoccurrence of many skin diseases. Little is known about psychological risk factors that affect the association between stress and dermatological conditions. One relevant factor that may modulate this link is anxiety sensitivity (AS) social concerns – the propensity to respond fearfully to anxiety‐related sensations (e.g. sweating, flushing) owing to perceived social consequences (e.g. rejection or humiliation). Objectives To gain insight into psychological factors affecting skin disease, we examined the moderating role of AS social concerns in the relationship between stress and skin disease quality of life (QoL). Methods Participants [n = 237 (161 female), mean ± SD age 34·18 ± 9·57 years] with active skin disease symptoms were recruited online and completed questionnaires assessing stress, AS social concerns, skin disease QoL and global skin disease symptom severity. Results AS social concerns moderated the association between stress and skin‐related emotional and social functioning in adults with skin disease. Stress was a significant predictor of the impairment associated with skin disease. Conclusions Stress was linked to skin disease‐related emotional and functional impairment associated with skin disease among individuals with high AS social concerns. These results highlight the potential for AS reduction interventions to break the vicious cycle of stress and skin disease symptoms and to improve psychosocial well‐being in dermatology patients.

IntroductionDistress during pregnancy and postpartum is common and contributes to poor infant and maternal outcomes, such as developmental delays and mental health disorders, respectively. Anxiety sensitivity, or fear of the symptoms of anxiety (eg, palpitations, confusion), is a risk factor known to increase distress across psychological and health‐related conditions. Given the physiologic and emotional changes that occur during the perinatal period, anxiety sensitivity may be a salient risk factor for maternal distress. In this pilot study, we aimed to understand the unique role of prenatal anxiety sensitivity in postpartum psychological and parenting distress.MethodsTwenty‐eight pregnant women (mean age, 30.86 years) were recruited from the community in a Southeastern metropolitan area of the United States. Participants completed self‐report measures during their third trimester of pregnancy and again within 10 weeks postpartum. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales‐21 and the Parenting Distress subscale of the Parenting Stress Index‐4‐Short Form were the primary postpartum outcome measures.ResultsPrenatal anxiety sensitivity was elevated in this sample relative to convenience samples. Prenatal anxiety sensitivity uniquely contributed to postpartum psychological (b, 1.01; P < .001) and parenting distress (b, 0.62; P = .008), after accounting for age, gravidity, and gestation.DiscussionAlbeit preliminary, results suggest prenatal anxiety sensitivity may be an important and malleable risk factor associated with several mental health concerns common in the perinatal period. Anxiety sensitivity may be targeted with brief interventions to prevent or reduce postpartum distress. Reducing prenatal anxiety sensitivity has the potential prevent the onset or worsening of psychological disorders among women and, in turn, may improve infant and child outcomes. Future studies should replicate these findings in a larger sample.

Summary “压力”一词用于形容一个人感到紧张或在压力下的状态。一个有趣的事实是,压力可以使某些皮肤病恶化,甚至引起一些皮肤病。这会导致患者产生恶性循环,他们的皮肤病会引发更多压力,压力会转而恶化其症状,如此循环。关于在压力和皮肤病之间的关联中起作用的心理风险因素却鲜为人知,但业界普遍认为其中一个相关因素是“焦虑敏感性(AS)社会关注”。这会在一个人因担心社会后果(其他人的反应,例如拒绝或羞耻)而惧怕焦虑相关的感觉(例如出汗、脸红)时发生。因此,这个人是在担心焦虑症的可视迹象。在这项于美国开展的研究中,237名带有皮肤病症状的患者完成了一些调查问卷,用以评估压力、AS社会关注、皮肤病生活质量和皮肤症状的严重程度。研究发现,具有AS社会关注症状的患者更有可能注意和惧怕因压力或皮肤病引起的体征所产生的社会反响(例如其他人会如何反应),进而恶化皮肤病对其情绪健康和日常生活的影响。但是,具有高度AS社会关注症状的患者并未反应其皮肤病的体征影响了其生活质量,这表示压力与症状的严重程度并无关联。