P7.74 Alopecia Areata:  do these subjects have common personality traits?

d’Ovidio R*, Claudatus J° and Di Prima T^

Clinica S.Rita Bari, ^Istituto di Indagini Psicologiche-Milano, °AIDA-Tricologia  -Italy

The aim of this paper was to understand whether patients suffering from alopecia areata (AA) have personality traits in common, thus allowing for a major understanding of pathogenesis, possible causes of chronicity and also risk factors for the disease. 20 subjects with severe relapsing AA and 6 subjects with acute AA were asked to answer a new Personality Trait questionnaire and were further asked to copy a printed text, which was the same for all subjects. The written text was then examined from a graphological point of view by utilizing the Marchesan method of Psychology of Writing (1). Data obtained from the questionnaire and the graphological examination were superimposable. These patients seem to have a high capacity of confrontation (90%), tend to be introverts with regards to their personal emotions (80%), possess above average intelligence, though they intellectualize inner experiences (75%), experience affective-sexual problems (70%) and have difficulty adapting to concrete reality (70%). They mainly utilize audio- visual channels (90%) and have vivid imaginations.  They are emotionally dependent (65%), depend on the judgement of others (80%), suffer from anxiety (avoidance of negative states: 70%), and consider themselves active (90%), touchy (90%) and happy (90%). However, when the disease is in progress they are in a negative mood state, which in some cases may lead to depression. In 60% of the cases they demonstrated signs of insecurity and difficulty paying attention.Finally, they have very good memories (80%), but tend to have obsessive recurrent ideas (75%).Interestingly, 60% of the subjects claimed that their mothers had a problematic pregnancy (e.g.: gestosis, menance of abortion). Considering AA as a psychosomatic disease, the implication of personality and the tendency to disease will be discussed. Graphology and a new questionnaire will be proposed as useful instruments for obtaining more information about these patients.

(1) Marchesan M.: Psicologia della Scrittura,  Segni e tendenze – Con orientamento psicosomatico. 1993, Società Medico-Psicologica – Milano