Stress and skin disease quality of life: the moderating role of anxiety sensitivity social concerns

Abstract

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.

Epidemiological Factors in Patients with Dermatologic Conditions Referring to Clinic of Traditional Persian Medicine, Shiraz, Southern Iran during 2018: A Cross- Sectional Study

“…Several skin diseases are associated with pain and discomfort, physical disabilities and psychological disorders (6,7). In some conditions, complications of skin diseases usually remain permanently or temporarily.…”

Stress and more stress: the importance in skin disease of worrying about what others think

“…In this issue of the BJD , Dixon et al . report how an individual difference variable associated with responding fearfully to anxiety‐related sensations (e.g.…”

“…Dixon et al . hypothesized that high AS social concerns would moderate the impact that stress has on all three aspects of the Skindex‐16 quality‐of‐life measure, even after accounting for symptom severity.…”