Personality Traits and Psychosocial Anxiety of patients influence the impact of hair loss on quality of life

Russo PM et al. HrQoL in Hair Loss-Affected Patients With Alopecia Areata, Androgenetic Alopecia and Telogen Effluvium: The Role of Personality Traits and Psychosocial Anxiety. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019 Mar;33(3):608-611

  • 10min
  • May. 2022
  • Author : Dercos Academy Editorial Committee - Supported by
    • Dercos

In brief

Hair loss affects patient quality of life. Some patients seem to be more prone to altered quality of life than others. Women and patients with anxiety‐related traits and low ability in managing emotions report the highest impact of hair loss on quality of life. Such determinants should be considered for the management of patients with hair loss.

Introduction

Hair loss has been shown to affect patient health‐related quality of life (HrQoL) to a degree comparable to severe or life‐threatening diseases. Alopecia areata (AA), androgenetic alopecia (AGA), telogen effluvium (TE) are forms of hair loss with different clinical features and prognosis and are associated psychological distress. However, there is no information regarding personnality differences in patients with AA, AGA and TE.

Gender and personality traits affect HrQoL

A study conducted on 105 women and 38 men revealed that gender and personality features were the most important determinants of reduced HrQoL.

In androgenetic alopecia, women had higher trait anxiety, social anxiety and social phobia and reported higher impact on HrQoL than men (Table 1).

Men with telogen effluvium reported more impact on HrQoL than men with alopecia areata or androgenetic alopecia.

Interestingly, illness severity was not discriminant between patients with low and high HrQoL.

Table 1. Scores obtained in each personality questionnaires by patients with high and low level of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL).

 

High HRQoL

Low HRQoL

(n=28)

(n=30)

F (2,56)

P‐value

Energy/Extraversion (BFQ)

3.0±0.4

3.1±0.4

0.321

ns

Conscientiousness (BFQ)

3.4±0.5

3.5±0.5

0.749

ns

Emotion stability (BFQ)

3.1±0.6

2.6±0.7

10.943

0.002

Agreeableness (BFQ)

3.4±0.5

3.2±0.6

1.023

ns

Openness’ (BFQ)

3.4±0.6

3.5±0.6

0.286

ns

Emotional Intelligence (TEI)

143.6±18.2

132.3±18.1

5.611

0.021

Trait Anxiety (STAI_Y)

40.0±9.1

49.5±8.7

16.301

0.001

Social Phobia (SPI)

16.4±5.4

26.8±8.8

29.294

0.001

Social Anxiety (SIAS)

13.8±4.2

21.3±8.2

18.618

0.001

 

BFQ, Big five questionnaire; TEI‐Que‐SF, Trait emotional intelligence questionnaire – short form; STAI‐Y, Trait anxiety index; SPI, Social phobia index; SIAS, Social interaction anxiety scale; HRQOL, health‐related quality of life.

Conclusion

Women and patients with anxiety‐related traits and low ability in managing emotions reported the highest impact of hair loss on quality of life. Gender and individual anxiety‐related personality traits should be considered when assessing the quality of life of patients with hair loss.

Reference

Russo PM et al. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2019 Mar;33(3):608-611