Determination of the socio-emotional consequences of visible pigmentary alterations using neutrosophic OWA-TOPSIS

Abstract

This study addresses the socioemotional consequences of visible pigmentary disorders such as vitiligo and melasma, a problem that profoundly affects individuals' quality of life. The relevance of this research lies in the growing need to understand how these dermatological conditions influence self-esteem, social interactions, and psychological well-being, especially in diverse cultural contexts. Although existing literature has explored these impacts, it lacks approaches that integrate the uncertainty and subjectivity inherent in human experiences. To fill this gap, a PRISMA-based systematic review was conducted, analyzing articles from PubMed, Scielo, and Scopus (2015–2025), and the neutrosophic OWA-TOPSIS method was employed, which combines weighted aggregation and prioritization to manage ambiguous data. The findings highlight low self-esteem and social stigma as the most significant consequences, along with anxiety and depression also being prevalent. This research contributes by introducing an innovative methodology that captures the uncertainty in psychosocial data, offering a solid basis for designing effective psychosocial interventions. It also provides practical tools for healthcare professionals, promoting a comprehensive approach to visible pigmentary disorders that transcends the dermatological dimension.