title: Inhibitory Control in Pediatric Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder): The Importance of Controlling for Age and Symptoms of Inattention and Hyperactivity.
abstract: Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder, HPD) is characterized by significant psychological distress, childhood-onset, and, in adults, certain cognitive deficits such as inhibitory control. A total absence of such literature exists within pediatric HPD samples, including research investigating neurocognitive aspects of disparate pulling-styles. The present study aims to address these gaps in the literature. Youth with HPD and healthy controls (N = 45) were compared on an automated neurocognitive task--stop-signal task (SST)--assessing inhibitory control. Youth with HPD (n = 17), controlling for age and attention issues, were found to perform better on the stop-signal reaction time compared to controls (n = 28). No significant relationships between performance on the SST and HPD severity, distress/impairment, or pulling-styles were noted. Findings from the current study suggest that children with HPD may not exhibit deficits in motor inhibition as compared to controls when the effects of age and attentional problems are controlled.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 600 Hilltop Drive, Kent, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Elle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 600 Hilltop Drive, Kent, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Francazio
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 600 Hilltop Drive, Kent, OH, USA.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gunstad
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 600 Hilltop Drive, Kent, OH, USA. cflessne@kent.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Flessner
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D014256:Trichotillomania / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: Children; Hair pulling disorder; Impulsivity; Motor inhibition; Trichotillomania