NEGATIVE AUTOMATIC THOUGHT ASSOCIATED WITH PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS AMONG ADULT PATIENTS WITH ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN MALAYSIA
Abstract
Objectives
The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adult patients with AD, as well as their predictors based on sociodemographic, illness-related, and psychological factors (negative automatic thoughts) at four tertiary referral hospitals.
Methods
This was a cross-sectional study conducted in dermatology clinic that included adult patients with AD aged 18-65 (n=128). They were administered a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic background, illness characteristic of AD, ATQ-17 to measure negative automatic thought, while anxiety symptoms were measured via GAD-7 questionnaire and depressive symptoms measured using PHQ-9, in both Malay and English language.
Results
The prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among adult patients with AD is 31.3% and 46.9% respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed age and personal maladjustment (PM) predicts anxiety symptoms, while only negative self-concept/expectation (NSNE) predicts depressive symptoms. To investigate the contribution of these predictors, a hierarchical logistic regression model was introduced, and the model was good enough to predict anxiety and depressive symptoms, which explained 51% and 58% of the variance, respectively, extrapolated by the value of the Nagelkerke's R2.
Conclusions
There is a high proportion of anxiety and depressive symptoms among adult patients with AD, and that there is an association with negative automatic thought, highlighting the need for clinicians to consider psychological symptom screening in the assessment and management of AD patients, and that recognising automatic thought can aid in reducing the likelihood of anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as the overall burden of AD, visible or invisible.
