title: Repetitive skin-picking in a student population and comparison with a sample of self-injurious skin-pickers.
abstract: The prevalence of skin-picking and its associated characteristics were documented in a nonclinical sample of 105 college students. Subjects completed a self-report skin-picking inventory and several paper-and-pencil scales. Students who endorsed skin-picking were compared to a clinical sample of self-injurious skin-pickers (n = 31) reported on previously. Of the student subjects, 78.1% (n = 82) endorsed some degree of skin-picking and four subjects satisfied criteria for severe, self-injurious picking. Student subjects significantly differed from the clinical sample-of self-injurious skin-pickers in the duration, focus, and extent of picking, techniques used, reasons for picking, associated emotions, and picking sequelae.
authors.affiliation: OCD Clinic and Research Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital-East, Charlestown 02129, USA.
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Keuthen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deckersbach
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fraim
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baer
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jenike
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data