Characteristics and treatment seeking in an adult Hispanic population with trichotillomania and skin picking disorder

Stephanie Valle; Eve K Chesivoir; Jon E Grant

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114706

Characteristics and treatment seeking in an adult Hispanic population with trichotillomania and skin picking disorder

Psychiatry Res. 2022 Sep:315:114706. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114706. Epub 2022 Jul 2.

Authors

Stephanie Valle¹, Eve K Chesivoir¹, Jon E Grant²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC-3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
² Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Medicine, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC-3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Electronic address: jongrant@uchicago.edu.

PMID: 35803169
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114706

Abstract

This study reports on characteristics of trichotillomania (TTM) and skin picking disorder (SPD) in an international Hispanic sample of adults. The survey was distributed online globally to a Hispanic population with TTM and SPD. 166 Hispanic adults with TTM (n = 127) or SPD (n = 39) reported moderate levels of symptom severity and low or very low quality of life. Anxiety disorders and OCD were common comorbidities. Hispanic adults with TTM and SPD were more impulsive and compulsive compared to non-Hispanic speaking adults (n = 92). Of the 166 subjects, 129 (77.7%) reported previously seeking treatment. When asked about the challenges they faced in seeking help, 67 (40.4%) identified a lack of therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists who were knowledgeable about these disorders.

Keywords: Hispanic; Skin picking disorder; Trichotillomania.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
Comorbidity
Humans
Quality of Life
Surveys and Questionnaires
Trichotillomania* / complications
Trichotillomania* / diagnosis
Trichotillomania* / therapy