{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T01:49:55Z","timestamp":1783648195400,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,26]],"date-time":"2025-08-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756166400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that predominantly affects sebaceous gland-rich areas, such as the scalp, face, and chest. It is clinically characterized by erythematous plaques and scaling. Although its pathogenesis is multifactorial, involving genetic predisposition, microbial colonization, and environmental triggers, the psychosocial dimensions of SD remain insufficiently explored. Given the chronic and visible nature of the disease, psychological factors like anxiety and personality traits may shape patients\u2019 perception of disease burden and their quality of life (QoL).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Objectives<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study aimed to assess the relationship between anxiety levels, personality traits, and the clinical severity and quality of life in patients with seborrheic dermatitis. By evaluating these dimensions together, the study seeks to better understand the psychosocial impact of SD.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Materials and methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A cross-sectional study was conducted with 210 adult South Dakota patients. Disease severity was assessed using the Seborrheic Dermatitis Area and Severity Index (SDASI), while QoL was measured using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Anxiety was evaluated using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and personality traits via the Bortner Personality Scale. Correlation analyses and regression models were employed.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>SDASI demonstrated a strong positive correlation with Physician Global Assessment (Rho\u2009=\u20090.815, <jats:italic><jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic><\/jats:italic>\u2009&lt;\u20090.001), confirming its validity as a clinical severity tool. DLQI exhibited moderate positive correlations with both BAI and anxiety severity (Rho\u2009=\u20090.465 and Rho\u2009=\u20090.365, <jats:italic><jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic><\/jats:italic>\u2009&lt;\u20090.001), indicating that anxiety substantially contributes to patient-perceived disease burden. In contrast, SDASI showed no significant associations with anxiety levels or personality traits (all <jats:italic><jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic><\/jats:italic>\u2009&gt;\u20090.05), highlighting a dissociation between physician-rated severity and patient-reported quality of life. Weak correlations were observed between DLQI and female gender (Rho\u2009=\u20090.159, <jats:italic><jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic><\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.011) as well as seasonality (Rho\u2009=\u20090.145, <jats:italic><jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic><\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.018).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Seborrheic dermatitis imposes a significant psychosocial burden that is more strongly linked to anxiety than to objective clinical severity. Our findings underscore the importance of integrating routine psychological screening\u2014such as BAI assessment\u2014into SD management to identify patients at risk of diminished quality of life. This study contributes novel evidence by concurrently evaluating clinical, psychological, and personality dimensions, reinforcing the need for a multidimensional, patient-centered approach to chronic inflammatory skin disorders.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0331030","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,26]],"date-time":"2025-08-26T17:30:42Z","timestamp":1756229442000},"page":"e0331030","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The psychosocial dimensions of seborrheic dermatitis: A cross-sectional study on anxiety, personality, and quality of life"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9884-1531","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gamze","family":"Ta\u015f Aygar","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hanife","family":"Karata\u015f","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Elif","family":"Kaya","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Nur \u015eeyma","family":"Borazan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Selda Pelin","family":"Kartal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,26]]},"reference":[{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0331030.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"343","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clindermatol.2013.01.001","article-title":"Seborrheic dermatitis: etiology, risk factors, and treatments","volume":"31","author":"C Dessinioti","year":"2013","journal-title":"Clin Dermatol"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0331030.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"833","DOI":"10.1016\/S0151-9638(07)92826-4","volume":"134","author":"L Misery","year":"2007","journal-title":"Ann Dermatol V\u00e9n\u00e9r\u00e9ologie"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331030.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"469","DOI":"10.1007\/s13555-019-00319-0","article-title":"Topical non-pharmacological treatment for facial seborrheic dermatitis","volume":"9","author":"J Piquero-Casals","year":"2019","journal-title":"Dermatol Ther"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0331030.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1152\/ajpcell.00147.2022","article-title":"Neuroendocrine signaling in the skin with a special focus on the epidermal neuropeptides","volume":"323","author":"AT Slominski","year":"2022","journal-title":"Am J Physiol-Cell Physiol"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0331030.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"540","DOI":"10.1111\/ced.12582","article-title":"The impact of psychosocial stress on healthy skin","volume":"40","author":"HJA Hunter","year":"2015","journal-title":"Clin Exp Dermatol"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331030.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1159\/000529854","article-title":"Scalp Seborrheic Dermatitis: What We Know So Far","volume":"9","author":"AK Leroy","year":"2023","journal-title":"Skin Appendage Disord"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0331030.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"683","DOI":"10.1007\/s00403-012-1254-0","article-title":"The association of oxidative stress and disease activity in seborrheic dermatitis","volume":"304","author":"S Emre","year":"2012","journal-title":"Arch Dermatol Res"},{"key":"pone.0331030.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1111\/jdv.16614","article-title":"Clinical and biological impact of the exposome on the skin","author":"T Passeron","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0331030.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1016\/S0033-3182(75)71235-5","article-title":"Type a Behavior and Your Heart","volume":"16","author":"BL Zohman","year":"1975","journal-title":"Psychosomatics"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0331030.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"173","DOI":"10.1016\/0021-9681(70)90094-9","article-title":"Coronary heart disease in the Western Collaborative Group Study. 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