Stanley M A, Swann A C, Bowers T C, Davis M L, Taylor D J
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical School, Houston 77030.
Behav Res Ther. 1992 Jan;30(1):39-44. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(92)90094-w.
Trichotillomania (TM) recently has been conceptualized as a variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, no systematic data have compared the clinical features of these two disorders. Here we report data from 8 TM and 13 OCD patients which suggest important clinical differences between groups. First, TM patients reported a significantly greater degree of pleasure during hair-pulling than OCD patients reported during performance of ritualistic behaviors. Second, TM was accompanied by significantly fewer associated obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Third, the groups differed with regard to other clinical features including anxiety, depression, and personality characteristics. We conclude that TM is not conceptualized best as a variant of OCD.
