Estimated lifetime prevalence of trichotillomania in college students.
BACKGROUND
Trichotillomania, a disorder of hair pulling, has been considered a rare condition. Estimations of the prevalence of this disorder have been based largely on clinical experience, and there have been no estimates of its prevalence based on data collected from a large, nonclinical population.


METHODS
2579 freshman college students at two state universities and one liberal arts college were asked to provide written responses to questions designed to practically apply DSM-III-R criteria for trichotillomania and estimate the prevalence of trichotillomania in this population.


RESULTS
2534 students (97.9% of the study population) responded. We found a 0.6% lifetime prevalence of DSM-III-R trichotillomania for both male and female respondents. Hair pulling resulting in visible hair loss, but failing to meet full DSM-III-R criteria, was identified in 1.5% of males and 3.4% of females.


CONCLUSIONS
Trichotillomania may not be as rare as previously suspected and may affect males as often as females.
Christenson
G A
GA
Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455.
Pyle
R L
RL
Mitchell
J E
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*