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Anxiety and Psychosocial Concerns in Alopecia Areata: A Case Study

Alopecia areata (AA), or hair loss on the scalp and body, affects approximately 1 in 1,000 people. Psychological distress has been hypothesized as a determining factor of AA. Researchers evaluating psychological disorders in the development and course of AA have found equivocal results. Furthermore,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Clinical case studies 2006-04, Vol.5 (2), p.103-111
Main Authors: Elkin, T. David, Hilker, Kellie A., Drabman, Ronald S.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Alopecia areata (AA), or hair loss on the scalp and body, affects approximately 1 in 1,000 people. Psychological distress has been hypothesized as a determining factor of AA. Researchers evaluating psychological disorders in the development and course of AA have found equivocal results. Furthermore, few studies have evaluated parental distress in relation to childhood AA. Case studies have shown the benefit of behavioral techniques for adults with AA; however, no studies have examined the role of behavioral interventions on child and parent coping abilities in AA. This brief case report will discuss the treatment of child-reported and parent-reported psychological distress in a child with AA. Significant reductions in child anxiety and social concerns were found over the course of treatment. This case report provides support for the use of behavioral techniques for the treatment of psychological distress experienced secondary to a child's diagnosis of AA.
ISSN:1534-6501
1552-3802
DOI:10.1177/1534650103261208