Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Role Body-Esteem Plays In Impairment Associated With Hair-Pulling And Skin Picking In Adolescents, Elle Brennan, Douglas W. Woods, Martin E. Franklin, Nancy Keuthen, John Piacentini, Christopher A. Flessner

Psychology Faculty Research and Publications

Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder, HPD) and pathological skin picking (PSP) are associated with significant rates of psychosocial impairment and distress. Little research has addressed the physical consequences and associated impairment in youth (e.g., poor body-esteem). The present study explores the relationship between body-esteem, skin picking (SP), and pulling-related impairment in a sample of adolescents with primary HPD. Ninety four adolescents who pull their hair, 40 of whom also pick their skin, were recruited via internet-sampling as part of the Child and Adolescent Trichotillomania Impact Study (CA-TIP). All youth and a parent completed anonymous questionnaires online assessing psychiatric symptoms, repetitive behaviors, …