Sleep Quality by Personality Type in Patients with Psoriasis

Psoriasis is associated with a greater risk of organic and psychological comorbidities. Type D personality has been correlated with poor quality of life, as well as worse physical and psychological outcomes in different diseases. A new cross-sectional study questioned if patients with psoriasis and type D personality had a greater risk of physical and/or psychological comorbidities, a relationship with the capacity of social adaptation, and impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

A total of 130 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis were included. To determine whether they had type D personality, patients completed the DS14 test along with other questionnaires to assess quality of life and psychological morbidities.

Overall, 38.4% of patients (n=50) were determined to have type D personality. Patients with psoriasis and type D personality were more likely to have depression and anxiety. The authors observed a correlation between type D personality and a lower education level. Patients with type D personality also had a greater prevalence of worse HRQoL in various Short Form Health Survey-36 questionnaire dimensions, sleep problems, poor social adaptation, and sexual disturbances.

Among the study’s limitations, according to the authors, was its cross-sectional design, which did not allow them to determine causality. The study sample was also not chosen at random. Finally, there was a risk for classification bias because physical comorbidity diagnoses were gathered during clinical patient interviews while they were under active treatment.

The researchers concluded, “Type D personality could represent a frequent personality profile in patients with psoriasis that could identify subjects with poor coping abilities to the disease with poorer levels of quality of life, increased psychological comorbidities, and inadequate social adaptation mechanisms.”