Efficacy of Internet-based, Therapist-Assisted Treatment Programs for Hair Pulling and Skin Picking: Preliminary Results.

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    • Subject Terms:
      COMPULSIVE hair pulling; ACCEPTANCE & commitment therapy; TREATMENT programs; COGNITIVE therapy; PSYCHOEDUCATION
    • Abstract:
      Purpose: Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), including skin picking and hair pulling, are common behavioral problems with a lifetime prevalence of up to 5.5%. Extant research indicates that the best treatment approach for BFRBs is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), but many of those who struggle with BFRBs are either reluctant to seek treatment or lack access to a therapist with sufficient expertise and experience. Methods: This paper presents preliminary data on the efficacy of two internet-based, therapist-assisted programs designed to treat hair pulling (TrichStop) and skin picking (SkinPick). The programs consist of evidence-based CBT components, including psychoeducation, Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). We examined changes in self-reported symptom severity of participants in the two programs between February 2019 and December 2022 who had completed at least two assessments (840 participants in SkinPick and 583 participants in TrichStop). Results: Both programs resulted in a considerable reduction in symptom severity, with large effect sizes according to the conventional interpretation of Cohen's d. Improvement in symptoms was progressive over time, and overall improvement correlated with the number of sessions each participant has completed. Conclusions: This preliminary study, which is based on a large sample of participants, indicates that the two programs significantly reduce the severity of skin picking and hair pulling. The study has several limitations, including the lack of a control group, reliance on self-report based on partial scales, and paucity of demographic data, which should be addressed in future controlled studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
    • Abstract:
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