Psychological features of systemic sclerosis: results from an observational study

Sara Romanazzo, Caroline Rometsch, Alessia Marangoni, Serena Guiducci, Fiammetta Cosci*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Objectives (a) Assessing mental disorders, psychological distress, psychological wellbeing in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc); (b) identifying psychological features independently contributing to the status of having the diagnosis of SSc. Methods Two hundred SSc outpatients were compared with 100 healthy subjects. Mental disorders were assessed via the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Self-reported rating scales were administered: Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), Psychological Well Being scales (PWB). General linear models allowed to verify which psychological feature would individually make unique contributions to overall status of having the diagnosis of SSc. Results Major depressive episode/disorder, panic disorder were more prevalent among patients with SSc (p < 0.05); SCL-90-R somatization and depression were more severe (p < 0.05) in SSc; PWB personal growth, positive relationships with others, purposes in life were poorer (p < 0.05) in patients with SSc if compared to healthy controls. The final general linear model, accounting for 20.4% of variance, showed that having the diagnosis of SSc was associated to lower SCL-90-R paranoid ideation and poorer PWB relationships with others. Conclusion SSc showed to present psychological features in need of assessment since some of them individually made unique contributions to overall status of having the SSc diagnosis.
Original languageEnglish
Article number1473587
Number of pages7
JournalFrontiers in medicine
Volume11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Dec 2024

Keywords

  • systemic sclerosis
  • psychological distress
  • wellbeing
  • paranoid ideation
  • interpersonal relationship
  • INTERNATIONAL NEUROPSYCHIATRIC INTERVIEW
  • HEALTH-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE
  • QUALITY-OF-LIFE
  • DEPRESSION
  • MINI
  • RELIABILITY
  • SCLERODERMA
  • PREVALENCE
  • SYMPTOMS
  • VALIDITY

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