Illness Perceptions, Coping And Life Stress In Psoriasis Patients: Assessment And Stress Intervention

A large number of studies have demonstrated that psoriasis is a typical psychosomatic disease. Stress factors in the onset and recurrence of psoriasis play an important role in the process. However, domestic researches for psoriasis have been focused more in the field of immunology and medical therapy. Therefore, the "Illness Perception Questionnaire, IPQ-R" and "Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory, PLSI" was introduced in the first place, with validation of its reliability and validity as well as the applicability of patients in Chinese.This study consists of three parts. The first part analyzed the patients' illness perception and their medical coping style, using stepwise regression analysis to explore the relationship that exists. The second part consists of inventory investigation and in-depth interviews with patients to understand their psoriasis related daily stress, in manner of intensity and contents. The third part of this research is an experimental study, a multi-record device was used in two groups on a number of stress-inducing tasks, stressful events retelling, and relaxation training, collecting three physiological indicators, such as finger temperature, heart rate and skin conductance, in identifying the difference of their stress reaction.The study found that: (1) the Chinese version of "Illness Perception Questionnaire, IPQ-R" and "Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory, PLSI" is of acceptable reliability and validity; (2) patients are of high disease identity, negatively impacted by the disease emotionally, the majority of patients did not recognize the consistency of their disease, individuals differ in the sense of control over disease. "Immune factors" and "stress and worry" are their main attribution for the onset and recurrence of the disease; (3) to avoid thinking of or talking about the disease are thee main medical coping style; (4) stepwise regression analyze indicated that certain perception of disease is related with patients' coping style. Patients with rich illness experience and a higher sense of personal control show more positive coping behavior, while patients with serious disease consequences is easier to adopt a negative coping style; (5) Chinese version of "Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory, PLSI" is of acceptable reliability, the revised questionnaire is applicable to Chinese psoriasis patients; (6) Chinese psoriasis patients' life stresses falls in six categories: reduction of social contacts; sense of alienation; economical and physical distress; negative impact on romantic relationship or marriage; worrying of passing psoriasis to their offsprings; (7) experiments confirmed that the guided relaxation exercise could reduce patients' heart rate and skin conductance, raise the skin temperature, thus alleviate stress response.