Mental Health, Psychological Features and Psychiatric Comorbidity of Adolescents with Atopic Dermatitis: A Review

Background/Objectives:Adolescence is a particularly sensitive period of development, marked by numerous changes, and the adolescent` quality of life (QoL) could be significantly affected by the disease like atopic dermatitis (AD). The chronic nature of AD is particularly significant: due to recurring (relapsing) skin lesions, adolescents are likely exposed to greater stress and depressive symptoms than those experiencing transient or one-time symptoms. Aesthetic and functional AD skin lesions during adolescence lead to reduced happiness, high stress and depression. Methods: In this review we wanted to present the current knowledge on mental health, psychological features and psychiatric comorbidity of adolescents with AD, based on the previous studies/research on this topic presented in Pubmed basis. Results: Previous studies have confirmed that sleep disturbances, behavioural disorders, internalizing profiles, depression and anxiety, stress symptoms and suicidality represent the most prevalent psychiatric comorbidities and psychological features in adolescents with AD. According to research data, adolescents with AD also reported a tendency toward feelings of sadness and hopelessness and even suicidal thoughts and attempts. The interplay between sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety, behavioural disorders as well as suicidality (as the most frequent psychiatric comorbidity in adolescents with AD) seems to be rather complex. Conclusions: So, adequate social competence is essential for healthy mental development, as its impairment may be associated with psychological disorders in childhood and adolescence and potentially persist into adulthood. These findings highlight the need for a psychological approach and the introduction of intervention programs from an early age, such as mental health assessments and professional supervision following diagnosis.