Investigating healthcare providers' knowledge of trichotillomania and its treatment
Abstract
Given the low prevalence rate and rather secretive nature of trichotillomania, it is uncertain how much trichotillomania‐related knowledge physicians and psychologists possess, what the perceived role of a psychologist is in the treatment process, what level of familiarity practitioners have with effective treatments and whether providers have resource materials available for patients. In a postal survey of 501 psychologists and physicians in the USA, providers responded correctly to 61% of the general knowledge items about trichotillomania. Most providers believed that psychologists may play a variety of roles in the clinical management of the disorder. Although providers were fairly accurate about the effectiveness of certain treatments for trichotillomania (e.g. medication, habit‐reversal), a number of non‐empirically supported treatments were endorsed as being effective. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority of healthcare providers did not have resources or referral information available for patients with trichotillomania. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are discussed.
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There is a knowledge gap among clinicians of how to treat TTM and SPD.
“one research study has indicated that there is a knowledge gap among clinicians of how to treat these disorders (Marcks et al., 2006)”
From Internet-delivered acceptance-based behavior therapy for trichotillomania and skin-picking disorder in a psychiatric setting: A feasibility trial (2022) · cites this paper as Marcks et al., 2006
Shame and stigma, lack of knowledge about TTM and SPD, as well as geographic and economic factors, may pose additional barriers to treatment.
“shame and stigma, lack of knowledge about TTM and SPD, as well as geographic and economic factors, may pose additional barriers to treatment (Marcks et al., 2006; Flessner et al., 2007)”
From Internet-delivered acceptance-based behavior therapy for trichotillomania and skin-picking disorder in a psychiatric setting: A feasibility trial (2022) · cites this paper as Marcks et al., 2006
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- Authors
- Marcks, B. A., Wetterneck, C. T., & Woods, D. W.
- Affiliations
- University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (US)
- Corresponding author
- Woods, Douglas W.
- Venue
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2006-03
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 19-27
- ISSN
- 1650-6073 (ISSN-L)
- 1651-2316
- OpenAlex
- W4236221964
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 28
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Keywords
- trichotillomania, health professionals' knowledge, physicians, psychologists, treatment effectiveness, habit reversal training, empirically supported treatments, referral resources
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