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Body-esteem, symptom severity, and psychosocial quality of life in adolescents with trichotillomania and pathological skin picking

Brennan, Elle
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3890-5668
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1461294001

Abstract Details

2016, MA, Kent State University, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences.
Background: Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder, HPD) and pathological skin picking (PSP) have independently been associated with significant rates of psychosocial impairment and distress. Little HPD or PSP research has addressed the physical consequences and associated impairment in youth (e.g., poor body-esteem) despite the vulnerability of self-esteem and body-satisfaction during adolescence. The present study aims to explore the relationship between body-esteem and pulling-related impairment in psychosocial quality of life, accounting for symptom severity (e.g., HPD, anxiety, depression), and the impact of skin picking (SP) and symptoms of HPD on body-esteem. Methods: A sample of adolescents who pull their hair (N = 94), some of whom also pick their skin (n = 40), were recruited via internet-sampling procedures. All youth and a parent completed anonymous self-report questionnaires online assessing psychiatric symptoms, repetitive behaviors, and impairment in quality of life, among other topics. Results: Neither appearance-based nor attribution-related body-esteem was found to be predictive of more severely impaired quality of life in these youth, after controlling for symptom severity. Results, however, did find that SP, in combination with HPD, contributes to worse appearance-based body-esteem above and beyond symptoms of HPD alone. Discussion: The current study suggests that quality in life in youth with HPD is less impacted by body-esteem or pulling than other factors such as depression and anxiety, and that SP contributes considerably to lowered body-esteem in youth with HPD. These findings may inform future case conceptualization and suggest the importance of addressing body-esteem in treatment planning for such youth. Further research is required to confirm these suggestions, however.
Christopher Flessner, PhD (Advisor)
Angela Neal-Barnett, PhD (Committee Member)
John Updegraff, PhD (Committee Member)
Jeff Ciesla, PhD (Committee Member)
37 p.
Psychology
hair-pulling disorder; skin picking; body-esteem; quality of life; adolescence

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Brennan, E. (2016). Body-esteem, symptom severity, and psychosocial quality of life in adolescents with trichotillomania and pathological skin picking [Master's thesis, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1461294001

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Brennan, Elle. Body-esteem, symptom severity, and psychosocial quality of life in adolescents with trichotillomania and pathological skin picking. 2016. Kent State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1461294001.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Brennan, Elle. "Body-esteem, symptom severity, and psychosocial quality of life in adolescents with trichotillomania and pathological skin picking." Master's thesis, Kent State University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1461294001

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1461294001
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© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.