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Schlintl C, Schienle A. Reduction of Pathological Skin-Picking Via Expressive Writing: A Randomized Controlled Trial. CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY IN EUROPE 2023; 5:e11215. [PMID: 37732151 PMCID: PMC10508252 DOI: 10.32872/cpe.11215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Expressive writing (EW: a personal form of writing about emotional distress, without regard to writing conventions) can improve physical and mental health. The present study investigated whether EW can reduce pathological skin-picking. In addition, the effects of two modalities of writing were contrasted with each other: computer vs. paper/pencil. Method A total of 132 females with self-reported pathological skin-picking participated in a two-week intervention. They either carried out six EW sessions or wrote about six abstract paintings (control condition), using either paper/pencil or a computer. Before and after each session, participants rated their affective state and the urge to pick their skin via a smartphone application. Questionnaires for assessing skin-picking severity were completed before and after the two-week intervention. Results The urge for skin-picking decreased directly after a writing session. The reduction was more pronounced in participants of the EW group, who also experienced reduced tension and increased feelings of relief at the end of a writing session. EW also reduced the severity of focused skin-picking after the two-week intervention. The writing modality had no differential effect on skin-picking symptoms. Conclusions This study identified beneficial effects of EW on pathological skin-picking. A future study could investigate EW as a potential tool in the context of (online) psychotherapy for skin-picking disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Schlintl
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
| | - Anne Schienle
- Clinical Psychology, University of Graz, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
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Ricketts EJ, Peris TS, Grant JE, Valle S, Cavic E, Lerner JE, Lochner C, Stein DJ, Dougherty DD, O'Neill J, Woods DW, Keuthen NJ, Piacentini J. Clinical Characteristics of Youth with Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder) and Excoriation (Skin-Picking) Disorder. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 2022:10.1007/s10578-022-01458-w. [PMID: 36315372 DOI: 10.1007/s10578-022-01458-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Body-focused repetitive disorders (BFRBDs) are understudied in youth and understanding of their underlying mechanisms is limited. This study evaluated BFRBD clinical characteristics, and two factors commonly implicated in their maintenance - emotion regulation and impulsivity - in 53 youth aged 11 to 17 years: 33 with BFRBDs and 20 controls. Evaluators administered psychiatric diagnostic interviews. Participants rated BFRBD severity, negative affect, quality of life, family functioning, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and impulsivity. Youth with BFRBDs showed poorer distress tolerance and quality of life, and higher impulsivity and negative affect than controls, with no differences in family impairment. BFRBD distress/impairment, but not BFRBD severity, correlated with anxiety and depression, and poorer distress tolerance. Findings suggest youth with BFRBDs show clinical patterns aligning with prior research; highlight the role of distress tolerance in child BFRBDs; and suggest the utility of acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies for unpleasant emotions in BFRBDs. Continued research should evaluate factors underlying BFRBDs in youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Ricketts
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Tara S Peris
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jon E Grant
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Stephanie Valle
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elizabeth Cavic
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Juliette E Lerner
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christine Lochner
- SA MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Dan J Stein
- SA MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Darin D Dougherty
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph O'Neill
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Douglas W Woods
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Nancy J Keuthen
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John Piacentini
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Dermatillomania: Strategies for Developing Protective Biomaterials/Cloth. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13030341. [PMID: 33808008 PMCID: PMC8001957 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13030341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Dermatillomania or skin picking disorder (SPD) is a chronic, recurrent, and treatment resistant neuropsychiatric disorder with an underestimated prevalence that has a concerning negative impact on an individual’s health and quality of life. The current treatment strategies focus on behavioral and pharmacological therapies that are not very effective. Thus, the primary objective of this review is to provide an introduction to SPD and discuss its current treatment strategies as well as to propose biomaterial-based physical barrier strategies as a supporting or alternative treatment. To this end, searches were conducted within the PubMed database and Google Scholar, and the results obtained were organized and presented as per the following categories: prevalence, etiology, consequences, diagnostic criteria, and treatment strategies. Furthermore, special attention was provided to alternative treatment strategies and biomaterial-based physical treatment strategies. A total of six products with the potential to be applied as physical barrier strategies in supporting SPD treatment were shortlisted and discussed. The results indicated that SPD is a complex, underestimated, and underemphasized neuropsychiatric disorder that needs heightened attention, especially with regard to its treatment and care. Moreover, the high synergistic potential of biomaterials and nanosystems in this area remains to be explored. Certain strategies that are already being utilized for wound healing can also be further exploited, particularly as far as the prevention of infections is concerned.
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Yalçın M, Baş A, Ergelen M, Gökçe E, Usta Sağlam NG, Öcek Baş T, Gıynaş FF. Psychiatric comorbidity and
temperament‐character
traits of the patients with lichen simplex chronicus: The relation with the symptom severity of the disease. Dermatol Ther 2020; 33:e14389. [DOI: 10.1111/dth.14389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Murat Yalçın
- University of Health Sciences Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurological Diseases, Psychiatry Istanbul Turkey
| | - Alper Baş
- University of Health Sciences Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurological Diseases, Psychiatry Istanbul Turkey
| | - Mine Ergelen
- University of Health Sciences Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurological Diseases, Psychiatry Istanbul Turkey
| | - Elif Gökçe
- University of Health Sciences Istanbul Kartal Lutfi Kirdar Training and Research Hospital, Dermatology Istanbul Turkey
| | - Nazife Gamze Usta Sağlam
- University of Health Sciences Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurological Diseases, Psychiatry Istanbul Turkey
| | - Tuba Öcek Baş
- University of Health Sciences Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurological Diseases, Psychiatry Istanbul Turkey
| | - Fikret Ferzan Gıynaş
- University of Health Sciences Erenköy Training and Research Hospital for Psychiatry and Neurological Diseases, Psychiatry Istanbul Turkey
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