Psychological Effects of Acne Vulgaris Among Secondary School Adolescents in Damietta Governorate

Background: Acne is reported to have a negative effect on mental health in adolescents. Aim of the work: Evaluation of the psychological effects of acne vulgaris amongst secondary school adolescents in Damietta Governorate. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was completed on 172 students with acne vulgaris aged between 15- and 19-years during the period extended from September 2019 to March 2020 in Damietta governorate schools from both sexes. Patients with disorders present before acne or other chronic diseases were excluded from the study.  All patients were evaluated by the Arabic version of the Dermatology Life Quality Index [DLQI] to determine the dermatological quality of life [QOL] among acne cases. Results: 46.8% of cases had body dysmorphic disorders. 82.7% of cases complained of anxiety, with a mean value of 15.47± 11.08. From them, 39.9% had a mild degree, 23.8, 20.3, and 16.1% had moderate, severe, and very severe. 76.9% of cases complained of depression, with a mean value of 13.68 ± 8.55. From them, 45.9%, 28.6, 12.0&13.5% had a mild degree, moderate, severe, and very severe acne.  Regarding resilience, only 6.9% had a mild degree, 43.4&49.7 had moderate and high degrees with a mean value of 124.25 ± 18.35. According to our knowledge, this was an early study to assess resilience in acne cases. Conclusion: The occurrence of anxiety, depression, and body dysmorphic disorders is higher among acne patients in comparison to that of the general population. We found no relation between resilience and acne severity.