Psychiatric diagnoses in children with alopecia areata

To identify psychiatric diagnoses in a sample of 12 children with alopecia areata (AA), to assess the possible relationship between life stressors and AA and to correlate any consistent physical findings to psychiatric data.

Twelve children with AA completed systematic psychiatric evaluations. The assessments included structured and semistructured interviews, rating scales, and parent checklists. Children had previously undergone immunological and endocrinological blood testing.

Seven of the 12 subjects met criteria for anxiety disorders (including simple phobia) on structured interviews. An additional subject met criteria for dysthymia. Self-esteem measures indicated a high positive self-concept, and rating scales measuring anxiety and depression were within normal limits. No significant difference was found between mean number of positive or negative life events of children with AA compared with a normative sample.

Although structured interviews revealed a higher than expected rate of anxiety or depressive disorders in this small clinical sample, self-report rating scales and semistructured interviews did not support the conclusion that significant psychopathology was present.