Repetitive Skin-Picking in a Student Population and Comparison With a Sample of Self-Injurious Skin-Pickers

Skin picking behaviors: An examination of the prevalence and severity in a community sample

“…Consistent with studies finding that skin picking is relatively common and largely benign (Bohne et al, 2002;Hajcak, Franklin, Simons, & Keuthen, 2006;Keuthen et al, 2000), most participants endorsed the behavior in some form. Body sites most susceptible to skin picking closely matched those referenced in Keuthen et al (2000), and included the face, cuticles and nails, arms, scalp, and hands and feet. A total of 5.4% of the sample reported clinically significant self-injurious skin picking and associated psychosocial impairment, which is also consistent with Keuthen et al (2000).…”

“…At least one BFRB was reported by 13.7% of 105 college students, nailbiting being the most common (Teng et al, 2002). While suspected to regulate negative affective states (Christenson, Ristvedt, & Mackenzie, 1993;Diefenbach, Mouton-Odum, & Stanley, 2002;Keuthen et al, 2000), BFRBs often directly result in significant distress and impaired social or occupational functioning as a result of their wounds or attempts to conceal them (Christenson, Mackenzie, & Mitchell, 1991;Flessner & Woods, 2006;O'Sullivan et al, 1997;Wilhelm et al, 1999). Further, many people report that their BFRB causes such shame and embarrassment that they withdraw from social activities (Keuthen et al, 2000;Stemberger, Thomas, Mansueto, & Carter, 2000;Wilhelm et al, 1999;Woods, Fuqua, & Outman, 1999).…”

“…While suspected to regulate negative affective states (Christenson, Ristvedt, & Mackenzie, 1993;Diefenbach, Mouton-Odum, & Stanley, 2002;Keuthen et al, 2000), BFRBs often directly result in significant distress and impaired social or occupational functioning as a result of their wounds or attempts to conceal them (Christenson, Mackenzie, & Mitchell, 1991;Flessner & Woods, 2006;O'Sullivan et al, 1997;Wilhelm et al, 1999). Further, many people report that their BFRB causes such shame and embarrassment that they withdraw from social activities (Keuthen et al, 2000;Stemberger, Thomas, Mansueto, & Carter, 2000;Wilhelm et al, 1999;Woods, Fuqua, & Outman, 1999). Together, BFRBs have been unofficially grouped under the obsessive-compulsive spectrum (Arnold et al, 1998;Hollander, 1993;Hollander & Wong, 1995;Stein et al, 1995), which includes conditions associated with OCD on one anchor point to behaviors characteristic of impulse-control disorders (ICDs), such as pathological gambling.…”

“…Those who engage in skin picking use their fingers or instruments (e.g., pins, tweezers) to manipulate areas most commonly found on the face, back, neck, or scalp (Arnold et al, 1998;Bohne et al, 2002;Keuthen et al, 2000;Wilhelm et al, 1999). Approximately 2-4% of the population demonstrates pathological skin picking (Keuthen et al, 2000) with associated tissue damage, including infections, ulcerations, and disfiguring scars, being seen in many patients (Greisemer, 1978).…”

Self-mutilative behaviors in male veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

“…BFRBs are nervous "habit" behaviors such as nail biting, hair pulling, and teeth grinding, all of which have been considered to be repetitive and automatic (Hansen et al, 1990;Wilhelm et al, 1999). Such behaviors are generally harmless for most people; however, recent research has focused on the maladaptive side of such habits, including tissue damage, infections, scars, as well as negative psychological effects (Keuthen et al, 2000;Woods et al, 2001). BFRB may serve a similar function of SMB by reducing feelings of anxiety, depression, or boredom (Teng et al, 2002).…”