A preliminary study of psychological therapy in the management of atopic eczema

This paper presents a pilot study of the treatment of atopic eczema using a cognitive-behavioural approach involving self-monitoring of eczema severity, recording both internal (cognitive) and environmental antecedent trigger stimuli to flare-ups, and relaxation using imagery and habit reversal. Three patients are presented suffering from chronic atopic eczema. Although each differed in personality, complexity and severity of atopic eczema, all three showed a post-treatment reduction in symptom severity, an increase in their ability to control the disorder and a decrease in their reliance on medication. It is argued that although the cognitive-behavioural approach used did provide a useful conceptual framework for implementing the treatments described, certain aspects of these cases could also usefully be understood in more psychodynamic terms. A controlled trial is necessary to evaluate the relative importance of the different components of treatment reported in this pilot study.