Background: Despite evidence suggesting a bidirectional relationship between psychological factors and skin disease, psychological distress and personality traits remain underexplored in dermatological care.Objective: This study aimed to compare psychopathological symptoms and personality traits between female outpatients with dermatological conditions and healthy controls.Methods: In total, 159 outpatients with dermatological conditions and 160 healthy controls (all female) completed the Symptom Check List-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), and a shortened version of the NEO-Personality Inventory-Revised.Between-group comparisons were conducted using t-tests, and stepwise regression analysis was used to identify the psychopathological predictors of neuroticism.Results: Compared with controls, the dermatology outpatient group demonstrated significantly higher SCL-90-R scores for all nine clinical scales and neuroticism, scoring lower in extraversion, openness, and agreeableness.Within the dermatology outpatient group, neuroticism was positively associated with all psychopathological dimensions (r=0.265-0.583;p<0.01).Depression, somatization, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were significant predictors of neuroticism (F=33.969;p<0.001). Conclusion:Female outpatients with dermatological conditions may experience considerable psychological distress and elevated neuroticism, even in the absence of clinical psychiatric diagnoses.Screening for psychological symptoms -including neuroticism, depression, somatization, and obsessive-compulsive features -should be considered in dermatological settings to better address patients' emotional well-being and optimize care outcomes.
Chee et al. (2026) studied this question.