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Cognitive-behavior therapy for self-injurious skin picking. A case series
Thilo Deckersbach1, Sabine Wilhelm, Nancy J Keuthen
1Harvard Medical School, Cognitive-Behavior Therapy Program, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Clinic, Psychiatric Neuroscience Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, USA.
Behavior Modification
|June 26, 2002
Summary
Habit reversal therapy shows promise for treating self-injurious skin picking, a condition causing tissue damage and distress. This behavioral approach offers a potential treatment for individuals struggling with severe skin picking behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Self-injurious skin picking involves repetitive skin picking leading to tissue damage and significant distress.
- Effective behavioral and cognitive-behavioral treatments for this condition are not well understood.
- Habit reversal is a recognized behavioral treatment for nervous habits and tics.
Observation:
- This study details the implementation and outcomes of cognitive-behavior therapy for three patients with severe self-injurious skin picking.
- Two of the three patients had co-occurring psychiatric conditions.
- Existing literature on habit reversal for skin picking is limited to a single case series.
Findings:
- Cognitive-behavior therapy, specifically habit reversal, was implemented for severe self-injurious skin picking.
- The study describes the outcomes of this therapeutic approach in three distinct patient cases.
- The effectiveness of habit reversal in treating skin picking, even with psychiatric comorbidities, is explored.
Implications:
- Habit reversal therapy presents a viable treatment option for self-injurious skin picking.
- Further research is warranted to establish the efficacy of habit reversal for skin picking, particularly in patients with psychiatric comorbidities.
- This study contributes to the limited body of evidence on behavioral interventions for severe skin picking disorders.