Role of Early Maladaptive Schemas on Quality of Life in Eczema Patients

Background: Eczema is a hypersensitive dermatological condition characterized by itching, which can be chronic or recurrent. Consideration of the importance of maladaptive schemas in our understanding of skin patients is somewhat novel. Eczema has a significant influence on patient’s quality of life. Individuals with dermatological diseases experience their appearance differently because their aesthetic, communicative, and perceptual functions of the skin are affected. The present study attempted to examine the role of early maladaptive schemas in predicting quality of life in persons with eczema. Method: The present study comprised 112 healthy individuals and 108 eczema patients aged 18 to 63, using the purposive sample method. The correlation coefficient was used to measure the relationship between variables. Multiple regression analysis was used in which early maladaptive schemas was treated as predictor and quality of life as the criterion variable. Result: In the present study, it has been found that early maladaptive schemas are significantly positively associated with quality of life in persons with eczema. Positive correlation denotes poor quality of life as high score on DLQI indicates poor quality of life and high score on YSQ-S3 indicates higher maladaptive schemas. The observed positive association suggests that increase in early maladaptive schemas is associated with decrease in quality of life. The findings of the study revealed the relative significance of various maladaptive schemas in predicting quality of life. Conclusion: The findings of the present study revealed the effect of maladaptive schemas on quality of life in eczema patients. Persons with skin conditions develop negative belief, low self-esteem, and negative self-perception which leads to reduction of pleasurable, increase in psychosocial difficulties, and challenges in daily life activities.