Estimated lifetime prevalence of trichotillomania in college students
Christenson, G.A.; Pyle, R.L.; Mitchell, J.E.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 52(10): 415-417
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0160-6689 PMID: 1938977 Document Number: 663
Background: Trichotillomania, a disorder of hair pulling, has been considered a rare condition. Estimations of the prevalence of this disorder have been based largely on clinical experience, and there have been no estimates of its prevalence based on data collected from a large, nonclinical population. Method: 2579 freshman college students at two state universities and one liberal arts college were asked to provide written responses to questions designed to practically apply DSM-III-R criteria for trichotillomania and estimate the prevalence of trichotillomania in this population. Results: 2534 students (97.9% of the study population) responded. We found a 0.6 lifetime prevalence of DSM-III-R trichotillomania for both male and female respondents. Hair pulling resulting in visible hair loss, but failing to meet full DSM-III-R criteria, was identified in 1.5% of males and 3.4% of females. Conclusion: Trichotillomania may not be as rare as previously suspected and may affect males as often as females.
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