This study aimed to develop a scale to assess illness-related cognition in adult patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and examine the influences of cognition on well-being. A questionnaire concerning AD-related cognition, quality of life (QOL) , and self-affirmation was answered by 197 patients (aged 16-70 years; M=33.15, SD=10.38) . Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to examine the factor structure of Negative Cognition Scale for Atopic Dermatitis (NCS-AD) and Positive Cognition Scale for Atopic Dermatitis (PCS-AD) , both comprising three factors. Cluster analysis was conducted to reveal the subjects' cognitive patterns; consequently, the subjects could be classified into five groups. One-way ANOVA was used to find differences among the groups and it revealed the following characteristics: (1) the group with a high score in NCS-AD and a low score in PCS-AD was lower in both QOL and self-affirmation, (2) the group with a low score in NCS-AD was higher in both QOL and self-affirmation, and (3) the group with a high score in PCS-AD was lower in QOL, but higher in self-affirmation. Thus, measures that aim to reduce negative cognition and encourage positive cognition toward AD could be useful in promoting patients' well-being.
