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Prevalence and correlates of clinically significant body-focused repetitive behaviors in a non-clinical sample.
- Source :
-
Comprehensive psychiatry [Compr Psychiatry] 2018 Oct; Vol. 86, pp. 9-18. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Jul 17. - Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Background: Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are repetitive, ritualized behaviors focused on the body, involving compulsively damaging one's physical appearance or causing physical injury. They include skin picking, hair pulling, nail biting, and lip or cheek biting and chewing. This study sought to examine prevalence, clinical correlates and quality of life (QoL) impairment associated with these conditions in a non-clinical sample of adults.<br />Method: An online survey was completed by N = 1378 participants. Comparisons were made between those self-reporting body-focused repetitive behavior to those without, on a range of clinical correlates (depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, body dysmorphic symptoms, fear of negative evaluation) and QoL domains.<br />Results: Three-hundred and eighteen participants (23%) reported the presence of a probable BFRB; n = 85 (6%) nail biting, n = 88 (6%) lip or cheek biting/chewing, n = 187 (14%) skin picking, and n = 39 (2%) hair pulling. There were significant differences between those with and without a probable BFRB (pBFRB) across all clinical variables investigated, with the pBFRB group reporting higher levels of symptoms. The BFRB group reported reduced QoL on some domains. Few differences emerged between the BFRB groups, although individuals with probable skin picking reported higher levels of body image concern, than those with other pBFRB conditions, and there was a trend toward probable skin picking to endorse higher levels of OCD symptoms and anxiety. There were no significant differences between the BFRB groups on QoL domains.<br />Conclusion: Although differences were found between those with a pBFRB and those without, there were few differences between the different pBFRB groups, indicating that all BFRB conditions are concerning. Skin picking may be one of the more severe of the BFRB presentations, although the small number of differences between the groups may reflect a single pathological grooming factor underlying the BFRBs. These findings underscore the importance of recognizing that all body-focused behaviors can cause significant distress, impairment, and reduced QoL, and highlights the need for timely and accurate identification of these conditions by health professionals.<br /> (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)
- Subjects :
- Adult
Anxiety Disorders diagnosis
Anxiety Disorders epidemiology
Anxiety Disorders psychology
Compulsive Behavior diagnosis
Depressive Disorder diagnosis
Depressive Disorder epidemiology
Depressive Disorder psychology
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder diagnosis
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder epidemiology
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder psychology
Prevalence
Quality of Life psychology
Self Report
Self-Injurious Behavior diagnosis
Surveys and Questionnaires
Trichotillomania diagnosis
Compulsive Behavior epidemiology
Compulsive Behavior psychology
Self-Injurious Behavior epidemiology
Self-Injurious Behavior psychology
Trichotillomania epidemiology
Trichotillomania psychology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1532-8384
- Volume :
- 86
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Comprehensive psychiatry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 30041079
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comppsych.2018.06.014