Clinical Characteristics of Youth with Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) and Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder

Emily J. Ricketts*, Tara S. Peris, Jon E. Grant, Stephanie Valle, Elizabeth Cavic, Juliette E. Lerner, Christine Lochner, Dan J. Stein, Darin D. Dougherty, Joseph O’Neill, Douglas W. Woods, Nancy J. Keuthen, John Piacentini

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Body-focused repetitive disorders (BFRBDs) are understudied in youth and understanding of their underlying mechanisms is limited. This study evaluated BFRBD clinical characteristics, and two factors commonly implicated in their maintenance – emotion regulation and impulsivity – in 53 youth aged 11 to 17 years: 33 with BFRBDs and 20 controls. Evaluators administered psychiatric diagnostic interviews. Participants rated BFRBD severity, negative affect, quality of life, family functioning, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and impulsivity. Youth with BFRBDs showed poorer distress tolerance and quality of life, and higher impulsivity and negative affect than controls, with no differences in family impairment. BFRBD distress/impairment, but not BFRBD severity, correlated with anxiety and depression, and poorer distress tolerance. Findings suggest youth with BFRBDs show clinical patterns aligning with prior research; highlight the role of distress tolerance in child BFRBDs; and suggest the utility of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies for unpleasant emotions in BFRBDs. Continued research should evaluate factors underlying BFRBDs in youth.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)975-986
Number of pages12
JournalChild Psychiatry and Human Development
Volume55
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2024
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
Tourette Association of America
LCPC
National Institute of Mental Health
University of Chicago
University of California, Los Angeles
Harvard University
National Institutes of Health
Massachusetts General Hospital
Caitlin Lau, and Jocelyn Pérez
Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia Translacional em Medicina
Otsuka Pharmaceutical
Pfizer
Biological Sciences Division
TLC Foundation
Georgia Clinical and Translational Science AllianceUL1 TR000430

    Keywords

    • adolescent
    • emotion
    • hair-pulling
    • impairment
    • skin-picking

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