Psychosocial impact and personality predictors of coherence feeling among girls with acne.

OBJECTIVE

The extent to which acne influences the emotional life of adolescents is a matter of discussion; but people with acne are prone to emotional and psychological disturbances.

METHODS

54 adolescent girls with acne were studied for their personality variables that are related to high coherence. Sense of coherence, e.g. meaningfulness of life, is crucial to cope successfully with stressors of living: it expresses the belief that a high probability exists that things will work out as well as can reasonably be expected. 58 adolescent girls without acne were in the control group.

RESULTS

Neuroticism (anxiety level) was the first predictor of the sense of coherence measure for girls with acne, explaining 19% of the variance. Extraversion was the next predictor, explaining an additional 2 3% of the variance and psychoticism was the third predictor, explaining together 27% of the variance. There was a lack of difference between groups with respect to other personality variables.

CONCLUSION

These predictors have to be taken into consideration while treating adolescents acne. Dermatologists, pediatricians and other physicians treating adolescents' acne should be familiar with emotional and psychosocial disturbances that accompany acne in order to effectively assist these patients.