Early Childhood Stress Tied to Psoriasis Risk

A prospective cohort study from Sweden suggests that early childhood stress, particularly disruptions in family structure, may increase the risk of developing psoriasis later in life.

The research, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, analyzed data from 16,145 children in the All Babies in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) birth cohort. Parents completed questionnaires on life stressors at ages 1, 3, 5, and 8. Psoriasis cases were subsequently identified through the Swedish National Patient Register.

Investigators found that a “new family structure” (including divorce, separation, or the addition of a new adult or step-siblings) before one year of age was significantly associated with increased psoriasis risk (odds ratio [OR] = 4.19; 95% CI, 1.01 to 11.48; P = 0.048) in univariate regression. This association remained significant after adjusting for confounders. When integrating stress data across all early follow-up points (ages 1 to 8 years), a new family structure continued to predict elevated risk in univariate analysis (OR = 3.40; 95% CI, 1.06 to 9.42; P = 0.04), but did not reach statistical significance in adjusted multivariable models (OR = 2.91; 95% CI, 0.88 to 8.41).

The authors noted that while adjusted models attenuated statistical significance, the effect size remained substantial, suggesting clinically meaningful associations.

“Children experiencing the psychological stress of a ‘new family structure’ during the first 8 years of life have an increased risk of developing psoriasis later," the authors wrote.

Source: Das D, Ludvigsson J. Journal of Investigvative Dermatology. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jid.2025.08.026