Types of Stress within Child Alopecia

Abstract

<b> Background: </b> At the beginning of every dermatopathy, including alopecia areata, one can frequently encounter the presence of a stressful event or situation. We have analyzed the factors that seem to have conditioned the onset of alopecia areata in 180 patients between 5 and 16 years of age. <b> Patients and Methods: </b>In order to elucidate whether or not stress is a cofactor for the development of this dermatological disease, we evaluated the psychosocial reality of the patients and particularly the possible presence of some stressful events or situations occurring within 6 months prior to the appearance or fresh outbreak of the dermatopathy. For that a psychodiagnostic interview with the patient and an anamnestic interview with his/her parents were done; in addition, a questionnaire concerning stressful events or situations was answered by the patients, and the graphic House-Tree-Person test (H-T-P test) and Rorschach’s psychodiagnostic test were performed. <b> Results: </b>In 81% of cases the presence of a stressful event or situation could be reported at the onset or at a new outbreak of alopecia areata. Protracted stressful situations were found much more often than single stressful events. In contrast to previous hypotheses concerning stress factors related to alopecia areata in this age group, the stress factors mentioned most frequently were experience of separation, relational problems, and difficulties of the child to come up to the expectations of their own parents with respect to the conduct in general and to progress in school in particular.