Disgust Sensitivity and Self-Disgust in Individuals with Atopic Dermatitis and Psoriasis

Disgust is an adaptive basic emotion that promotes avoidance of potential pathogen threats through aversive affect and rejection responses. In chronic inflammatory skin diseases, visible skin alterations may function as contamination cues, yet the role of individual differences in disgust sensitivity and self-disgust (comprising personal and behavioral dimensions) remains largely unexplored.

We examined disgust sensitivity and self-disgust in adults with atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, contrasting scores with non-clinical norms and evaluating links to clinical and psychosocial features.

In an online survey, 621 participants (N = 339 atopic dermatitis, N = 282 psoriasis) completed measures of disgust sensitivity through the Scale for the Assessment of Disgust Sensitivity (SADS), self-disgust through the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Self-Disgust (QASD), dermatology-related quality of life (DLQI), depressive and anxiety symptoms (PHQ-4), and perceived stress (PSSD). Disgust sensitivity and personal self-disgust scores were frequent and exceeded published non-clinical reference values, whereas behavioral self-disgust was not elevated and was lower among individuals with psoriasis than the corresponding reference values. Group comparisons revealed comparable disgust sensitivity levels in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, but greater personal self-disgust in atopic dermatitis.

Disgust sensitivity and self-disgust were systematically associated with lesion visibility, pruritus severity, diminished quality of life, and heightened affective symptoms. These results highlight the clinical importance of measuring disgust sensitivity and particularly self-disgust as an indicator of the psychosocial impact of chronic inflammatory skin diseases.