Evaluation of temperament and behavioral characteristics in preschool children with dermatological diseases

OBJECTIVE: This exploratory study aimed to evaluate the basic temperament and behavioral characteristics of preschool children diagnosed with vitiligo, alopecia areata (AA), and psoriasis, and to compare them with healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 31 patients (12 vitiligo, 15 AA, 4 psoriasis) aged 3-6 years followed in the dermatology outpatient clinic and 26 healthy children of similar age and gender. Parents completed a Sociodemographic Data Form, the Short Temperament Scale for Children (STSC), the Children's Behavior Questionnaire-Short Form (CBQ-SF), and the Early Childhood Inventory-4 Parent Checklist (ECI-4). RESULTS: In the CBQ-SF, high intensity pleasure, inhibitory control, and smiling and laughter subscale scores showed nominal between-group differences in unadjusted analyses. In the STSC, the approach subscale score also showed a nominal between-group difference. In the ECI-4, the ADHD inattentive subtype score showed nominal significance. However, after correction for multiple comparisons, none of these associations remained statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In this exploratory study, preschool children with visible dermatological diseases showed no robust differences in parent-reported temperament or behavioral profiles after correction for multiple comparisons. Although some subscales demonstrated nominal differences in unadjusted analyses, these findings should be interpreted cautiously. These findings contrast with those typically reported in adult populations, suggesting that developmental stage may influence the psychological correlates of dermatological diseases. Given the small sample size and exploratory nature, these preliminary findings need replication before clinical recommendations can be made.