TRICHOTILLOMANIA AND SELF-ESTEEM - A SURVEY OF 62 FEMALE HAIR PULLERS

Background: The psychological features of trichotillomania have receiv ed little empirical attention, despite the fact that sufferers commonl y report negative self-image to be one of the most disturbing aspects of the disorder. We conducted the current study to identify specific f actors that predict self-esteem problems in hair pullers. Method: Sixt y-two women with trichotillomania or repetitive hair pulling completed self-report forms assessing factors possibly related to self-esteem i n hair pullers. The survey included questions related to demographics, hair-pulling symptoms, mood and anxiety symptoms, and body image conc erns. Results: Self-esteem did not appear to be directly related to ag e at onset of hair pulling or severity of hair loss. However, self-est eem was related to level of depression, frequency of hair pulling, lev el of anxiety, and body dissatisfaction unrelated to hair pulling. Con clusion: Several factors, including the frequency of hair pulling, are associated with low self-esteem in patients with trichotillomania. Sp ecific efforts should be made to address these issues in treatment.