title: Health-related quality of life and its association with alexithymia and difficulties in emotion regulation in patients with psoriasis.
abstract: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in psoriasis patients could be negatively affected by medical (e.g., obesity) and psychological (e.g., depression, anxiety, and alexithymia) conditions the presence of which suggests difficulties in understanding and regulating inner states and emotions. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate HRQoL and its association with obesity and difficulties in understanding and regulating inner states and emotions in patients with psoriasis. A second objective was to examine whether the presence of difficulties in understanding and regulating inner states and emotions may mediate the association between psoriasis and poor HRQoL.
  
  
  
  One hundred adult outpatients and 97 healthy controls were administered a checklist assessing major socio-demographic variables, and measures of HRQoL, difficulties in emotion regulation, alexithymia, anxiety, depression, and food craving.
  
  
  
  Psoriasis patients (compared to controls) reported more frequently obesity, alexithymia, anxiety, depression and food craving, and reported lower scores on the mental and physical components of HRQoL. A mediation model, with mental health as the dependent variable, indicated significant direct and indirect (through BMI, difficulties in emotion regulation, anxiety, depression, and food craving) effects of psoriasis on the quality of life, so that psoriasis was associated with worse mental health. A second mediation model with physical health as dependent variable indicated only a significant indirect effect (through BMI and depression) of psoriasis on the quality of life.
  
  
  
  Psoriasis is characterized by poor HRQoL and the presence of difficulties in understanding and regulating inner states and emotions. In patients with psoriasis the possible influence of food craving on abnormal eating habits should be carefully assessed.
authors: Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Via degli Aldobrandeschi 190, 00163 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: marco.innamorati@unier.it.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Innamorati
authors: Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Via degli Aldobrandeschi 190, 00163 Rome, Italy.
authors: Rossella M
authors: RM
authors: Quinto
authors: Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Via degli Aldobrandeschi 190, 00163 Rome, Italy.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Imperatori
authors: Center for the Study and Treatment of Psoriasis, San Gallicano Dermatologic Institute, IRCCS, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy.
authors: Viviana
authors: V
authors: Lora
authors: Center for the Study and Treatment of Psoriasis, San Gallicano Dermatologic Institute, IRCCS, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy.
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Graceffa
authors: Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Via degli Aldobrandeschi 190, 00163 Rome, Italy.
authors: Mariantonietta
authors: M
authors: Fabbricatore
authors: Stockton University, NJ, USA.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Lester
authors: Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Via degli Aldobrandeschi 190, 00163 Rome, Italy.
authors: Anna
authors: A
authors: Contardi
authors: Center for the Study and Treatment of Psoriasis, San Gallicano Dermatologic Institute, IRCCS, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144 Rome, Italy.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Bonifati
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult