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Inhibitory Control in Pediatric Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder): The Importance of Controlling for Age and Symptoms of Inattention and Hyperactivity

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Abstract

Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder, HPD) is characterized by significant psychological distress, childhood-onset, and, in adults, certain cognitive deficits such as inhibitory control. A total absence of such literature exists within pediatric HPD samples, including research investigating neurocognitive aspects of disparate pulling-styles. The present study aims to address these gaps in the literature. Youth with HPD and healthy controls (N = 45) were compared on an automated neurocognitive task—stop-signal task (SST)—assessing inhibitory control. Youth with HPD (n = 17), controlling for age and attention issues, were found to perform better on the stop-signal reaction time compared to controls (n = 28). No significant relationships between performance on the SST and HPD severity, distress/impairment, or pulling-styles were noted. Findings from the current study suggest that children with HPD may not exhibit deficits in motor inhibition as compared to controls when the effects of age and attentional problems are controlled.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, 600 Hilltop Drive, Kent, OH, USA

    Elle Brennan, Sarah Francazio, John Gunstad & Christopher Flessner

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  1. Elle Brennan
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  2. Sarah Francazio
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  3. John Gunstad
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  4. Christopher Flessner
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Correspondence to Christopher Flessner.

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Brennan, E., Francazio, S., Gunstad, J. et al. Inhibitory Control in Pediatric Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder): The Importance of Controlling for Age and Symptoms of Inattention and Hyperactivity. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 47, 173–182 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-015-0554-y

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