Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Spirrison, Charles

Committee Member

Jacquin, Kristine

Committee Member

McCarley, Nancy

Date of Degree

8-9-2008

Original embargo terms

MSU Only Indefinitely

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Psychology

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

The present study examined the prevalence and characteristics of skin picking in a college population in the southeast. Undergraduates completed a battery of self-report inventories that included the Skin Picking Inventory – Abbreviated, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Eating Disorders Inventory – 2, Padua Inventory, Short Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, Dissociative Experiences Scale, and a short demographics form. Only 1% of the sample population met the full criteria for pathological skin picking and 6.7% met the subclinical definition. As a result of their skin picking, all participants in the subclinical group reported significant distress or impairment in some area of functioning. Interestingly, the current subclinical sample included more males (60%) than females (40%). Higher levels of anxiety, depression, dissociative experiences, and alcohol abuse were associated with skin picking. The responses to the Skin Picking Inventory – Abbreviated were analyzed and characteristics of skin picking are reported.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/16306

Comments

skin picking||impulse control disorders||impulse control disorders not otherwise specified

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