An Application of Rehabilitation Counseling Theory for Understanding Coping Among People With Alopecia Areata

Theories of rehabilitation counseling have enriched our understanding of individual responses to chronic disease and disability for nearly a century. Nevertheless, despite its prevalence and profound psychosocial impact, alopecia areata (AA) remains underrecognized in rehabilitation and health literature. This research aims to investigate the role of different coping styles on relationship-related and subjective quality-of-life outcomes among individuals with AA, considering Livneh’s conceptualization of psychosocial adjustment and adaptation as a guiding framework. The cross-sectional survey included 275 participants registered through national and international AA advocacy groups. Participants provided demographic and condition-specific data, completed the COPE Inventory to assess a range of coping styles, and answered the Alopecia Areata Quality of Life Index (AA-QLI). Hierarchical linear regression analyses were used to examine the predictive effect of coping styles on AA-related quality of life, statistically controlling for demographic and clinical factors. Suppression of competing activities, behavioral disengagement, and mental disengagement were found to be salient predictors of reduced relationship satisfaction and heightened subjective distress related to AA. The findings provide evidence that individual coping styles influence quality-of-life outcomes among people with AA, highlighting the importance of considering coping strategies in psychological support and intervention, and in future research.