We have developed internet-delivered behavior therapy (IBT) for skin-picking disorder (SPD) and trichotillomania (TTM). A pilot study has shown encouraging results. The IBT-treatment for SPD-patients is currently being evaluated in a randomized trial.
Background and relevance
TTM and SPD are two very similar psychiatric disorders characterized by recurrent and excessive hair pulling and skin picking. The problems leads to hair loss and skin lesions, it is time consuming and interferes with the patiens everyday life, impairing both social and occupational activities, as well as emotional well-being.
Behavior therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for TTM and SPD. Unfortunately, many patients do not receive this treatment, because of different reasons such as knowledge gap among clinicians, shame and stigma, general lack of knowledge about the disorders, geographic and economic factors. Because of this, we see the urgency in developing a more available treatment that is feasible, acceptable and efficacious.
Group members involved in the project
Rücklab - Psychiatry research at Karolinska Institutet 