Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

2 Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

3 Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Community Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Background: Alopecia areata is one of the most common causes
of hair loss. In this study, the personality traits and stress levels
of patients with alopecia areata were assessed and compared
with a control group based on the NEO Five-Factor Inventory
(FFI) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) questionnaires.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 120
patients with alopecia areata and 120 healthy individuals as a
control group from 2015 to 2017 in Mashhad, Iran. The control
group was selected from the families of patients who did not have
current involvement and no history of alopecia areata, matched
by gender, mean age, and level of education. A dermatologist
evaluated the severity score of alopecia in participants. The
NEO FFI and PSS questionnaires were used to assess patients’
personality aspects. SPSS v. 20 was used to analyze the data.
Results: The results of the NEO FFI questionnaire showed that
statistically, the mean score of neuroticism in alopecia areata
patients was significantly higher than in the control group
(P = 0.023), but the extraversion and flexibility scores were
significantly higher in the control group than in alopecia areata
patients (P = 0.026 & 0.049, respectively). The PSS questionnaire
results showed that the mean stress score of alopecia areata
patients was similar to the control group (P = 0.12).
Conclusion: Our results suggest that compared with healthy
individuals, patients with alopecia areata have higher neuroticism
scores and lower extraversion and flexibility scores on the NEO
FFI.

Keywords