Chronic hair-pulling: phenomenology-based subtypes.
Distinct subtypes of trichotillomania (TTM)/chronic hair-pulling may exist. The aim of this study was to extend an earlier analysis by our group to a larger sample of patients with chronic hair-pulling, and to assess the validity and clinical utility of several putative subtypes. Eighty patients with various putative hair-pulling subtypes were compared on sociodemographic and clinical variables. Gender and disability due to pulling accounted for a number of important differences; for example, females more commonly had earlier age of onset of pulling, less comorbidity, and more disability than males. Also, those who met DSM-IV criteria B and C of TTM appeared to have a more disabling course of illness than those who did not. These data appear to support a dimensional rather than a categorical approach to subtyping. Future work, incorporating further investigation of the role of gender and psychobiological and treatment outcomes, is needed before definitive conclusions about hair-pulling subtypes can be drawn.
Lochner
Christine
C
MRC Unit on Anxiety and Stress Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. cl2@sun.ac.za
Seedat
Soraya
S
Stein
Dan J
DJ
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology