Coping behavior in women with alopecia: its role in the development of psychological maladjustment and its association with disease genesis

The study examined coping strategies in 153 women with alopecia, focusing on their impact on psychological maladjustment. It found that women with metabolic alopecia predominantly used adaptive coping strategies like problem-solving and seeking social support, while those with mixed alopecia leaned towards maladaptive strategies such as avoidance and distancing. A shift from adaptive to maladaptive coping was linked to increased psychological maladjustment. The study concludes that coping behavior significantly predicts mental maladjustment in alopecia, highlighting its potential as a target for personalized psychotherapeutic interventions.