Quality of life and psychological adaptation of Korean adolescents with vitiligo.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of vitiligo on the quality of life and psychological adaptation in a Korean adolescent population.


METHODS
Fifty-seven adolescents aged 12 to 18 years with vitiligo were evaluated using self-report scales, namely the Skindex-29, Piers-Harris self-concept, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS).


RESULTS
Mean Skindex-29 subscales were as follow; 21.8 (global), 16.3 (symptom), 18.6 (function) and 29.5 (emotion). Several clinical variables, such as duration of vitiligo, facial involvement, history of previous treatment, and patient-assessed severity, affected the Skindex-29 subscales in various ways. However, differences in Skindex-29 scores according to the type of vitiligo, extent of involvement, and family history were not observed. The Piers-Harris self-concept scores showed a negative correlation with Skindex-29 scores, while other psychological measures (CES-D and RCMAS) were positively correlated.


CONCLUSIONS
The quality of life of adolescents with vitiligo is closely related to the patients' apprehensions about their disease, psychosocial adjustment, and psychiatric morbidity, rather than the clinical severity of the condition itself. Clinicians should recognize and deal with psychological adaptation along with medical intervention when treating adolescent patients with vitiligo.
Choi
S
S
Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
D-Y
DY
Whang
S-H
SH
Lee
J-H
JH
Hann
S-K
SK
Shin
Y-J
YJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000523:psychology*