title: Evaluation of some psychological factors in psoriatic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psoriasis is a disease which may have a direct impact on the psychological and social aspects of the patient, particularly due to its visibility. To date, we are unaware of any study showing a relationship between psoriasis and psychological parameters such as psychological vulnerability and coping strategies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of psoriasis on some psychological parameters in an Iranian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients having histopathologically confirmed psoriasis for at least 6 months attending the Dermatology Clinic of Razi Hospital were included if they agreed to participate in the study. Patients with history of schizophrenia, major depression or other psychological disorders were excluded. All patients were at least 18 years old. The patients were then referred to the researchers for filling out the appropriate questionnaires under the guidance of an involved psychologist. To evaluate skin involvement, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score was calculated and used for all patients. All data were stored in files for further analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 101 females and 99 males with the mean age of 43.2(±16.32). The mean PASI Score was 6.58 ± 6.04. Diffuse skin involvement was the commonest form of disease (133 patients, 66.5%). The highest score for Illness perception belonged to those with genitalia involvement (185.2, worst illness perception), and the lowest score for Illness perception belonged to those with nail involvement (168.2). Consistently, the lowest score of facing the problems (CISS: approach strategy to disease) belonged to those with hand involvement (50.5) whereas the highest score belonged to those with genitalia involvement (60.4). There was a significant correlation between psychological vulnerability vs. Illness perception score as well as psychological vulnerability vs. coping strategies score. Surprisingly, PASI score had an insignificant relationship with illness perception, coping strategies or psychological vulnerability score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PASI score as a representing factor of skin involvement has a limited role in predicting the effect of psoriasis on mental status and illness perception of psoriatic patients. Psychological vulnerability of the patients is the main predicting factor of illness perception and coping strategies (representing patients approach to their disease or their treatment beliefs).
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Pedram
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Noormohammadpour
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Razi hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fakour
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Javad
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nazemei
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Amirhooshang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ehsani
authors.affiliation: Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gholamali
authors.affiliation: Farzan research center, free researcher. Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Afsaneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morteza
authors.affiliation: Master of Clinical Psychology, Ministry of Education.
authors.forename: Leila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mokhtari
authors.affiliation: Shahid Beheshti University of medical sciences, Imam Hussein Hospital. Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Najmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khosrovanmehr
keywords: Mental Health; PASI score; Psoriasis; Psychology