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Early Childhood Stress and the Risk of Developing Psoriasis: A Cohort Study
Debojyoti Das1, Johnny Ludvigsson1
1Division of Pediatrics, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology
|September 4, 2025
Summary
Early childhood stress, specifically a "new family structure," significantly increases the risk of developing psoriasis later in life. This finding highlights the long-term impact of early life environmental factors on chronic skin conditions.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology and Environmental Health
- Pediatric Psychology and Epidemiology
Background:
- Environmental factors are recognized triggers for psoriasis onset.
- The impact of early childhood stress on long-term health outcomes, including dermatological conditions, requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between early childhood stress and the subsequent development of psoriasis.
- To determine if a "new family structure" before age eight is a risk factor for psoriasis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) prospective birth cohort (n=16,145).
- Collected parental-reported stress factors via questionnaires at ages 1, 3, 5, and 8.
- Identified psoriasis cases through the Swedish National Patient Register and performed statistical analyses using R.
Main Results:
- A "new family structure" (e.g., parental divorce, new siblings/adults) before age one was associated with an increased psoriasis risk (OR=4.19) in univariate analysis.
- Integrating data up to age eight, a "new family structure" consistently showed a trend towards increased psoriasis risk (OR=3.40 univariate, OR=2.91 adjusted), though not statistically significant in the adjusted model.
- The observed effect size for "new family structure" remained substantial even when adjusted for confounders.
Conclusions:
- Experiencing a "new family structure" during the first eight years of life is linked to an elevated risk of developing psoriasis.
- Early life psychological stress from family changes may represent a significant environmental factor contributing to psoriasis development.
- Further research with larger cohorts or different methodologies may be needed to confirm the statistical significance of this association in adjusted models.
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