title: The demography, phenomenology, and family history of 22 persons with compulsive hair pulling.
abstract: This study reports on the demographics, phenomenology, and family history of 22 compulsive hair pullers. Subjects were recruited through a psychiatric outpatient clinic as well as newspaper advertisements. Subjects completed a semistructured interview focused on hair-pulling behavior and demographics, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule to assess major (Axis I) mental disorders, and the Structured Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders to assess Axis II disorders. The typical subject was a 33-year-old woman who had completed 1 or more years of college and had been pulling her hair for 19 years. Nearly two-thirds met the criteria for a major mental disorder (particularly anxiety and mood disorders), and more than one-half met the criteria for a personality disorder. Nearly three-quarters of first-degree relatives were reported to have a psychiatric disorder, and about 5% were reported to be hair pullers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000341:Affective Disorders, Psychotic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003710:Demography; D005190:Family; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*