Trichotillomania among young adults: Prevalence and comorbidity

Abstract

Trichotillomania is an impulse control disorder characterized by repetitive pulling out of one’s hair. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of trichotillomania in young adults and its association with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). A total of 339 individuals completed a questionnaire to determine the presence of trichotillomania. OCD and anxiety disorders were diagnosed according to the diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10), based on the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Twelve persons (3.5%) reported hair pulling during their lifetime, but only 8 of them met the criteria of trichotillomania according to the ICD-10. Four individuals had stopped their behaviour prior to the study participation. The lifetime anxiety disorders were diagnosed in 5 participants with trichotillomania (62.5%), while in the group without trichotillomania, 67 persons (20.2%) met the diagnostic criteria for anxiety disorders (p < 0.01). OCD were not diagnosed in individuals with trichotillomania, among participants without trichotillomania, 14 persons (4.2%) reported symptoms of OCD.