Research Summary written by:
Jennifer Jacobson, PharmD
BFRB Changemakers volunteer
Study Title:
Prevalence of skin picking (excoriation) disorder.
Why was this Skin Picking research done?
Skin picking is a Body-Focused Repetitive Behavior, a mental health condition that affects approximately 1 to 2% of people in the United States. Researchers wanted to answer these questions about skin-picking disorder in the United States:
How common is skin-picking disorder, both overall and in different groups of people?What other mental health conditions commonly occur in people with skin-picking disorder?
How was this Skin Picking study done?
- A total of 10,169 adult (18 to 69-year-old) US participants completed an online survey about their mental health and personal information.
What were the results of this Dermatillomania Prevalence study?
Q1: How common is skin-picking disorder, both overall and in different groups of people?
- Skin-picking disorder was common, as 2.1% of participants had the disorder during the study.
- Rates of skin-picking disorder were similar across income level, education level, and relationship status. However, the majority of participants with skin-picking disorder were female (55%), white (84%), and 30 to 49 years old (42%).
Q2: What other mental health conditions commonly occur in people with skin-picking disorder?
- Other mental health conditions were common in people with skin-picking disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder and depression were the most common disorders, occurring in 63% and 53% of participants with skin-picking disorder, respectively.
Why Is This Study about Skin Picking Prevalence Important?
- This was the first study that assessed trends in skin-picking disorder across the general US population. Results from this study can improve general understanding and awareness about this disorder.
Citation: Grant JE, Chamberlain SR. Prevalence of skin picking (excoriation) disorder. J Psychiatr Res. 2020;130:57-60. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.06.033
Additional BFRB Research Resources
You can read the free, full original article on PubMed Central or ScienceDirect.
