Acceptance-Enhanced Behavior Therapy for Trichotillomania in Youth
Abstract
Trichotillomania is a debilitating and chronic condition involving repeated hair pulling from various areas of the body. Trichotillomania often begins in childhood, suggesting that the development and understanding of treatments for trichotillomania in youth are of utmost importance, especially for successful early intervention. While habit reversal training (HRT) is considered the gold standard treatment for trichotillomania in young people, this article reviews a nascent treatment approach for trichotillomania in youth, acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy (AEBT). AEBT combines HRT and acceptance and commitment therapy skills. Each component of AEBT is described and reviewed. A detailed case exemplar of the 10-session protocol is presented. Future research directions and important clinical considerations are discussed.
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has been proven widely effective in intervening with various mental health issues in adolescents, such as anxiety, depression, trichotillomania, and substance abuse, and can significantly improve adolescents' well-being.
“ACT has been proven to be widely effective in intervening with various mental health issues in adolescents, such as anxiety, depression, trichotillomania, and substance abuse, and it can significantly improve adolescents’ well-being [35–37].”
From Socioeconomic status impacts Chinese late adolescents’ internalizing problems: risk role of psychological insecurity and cognitive fusion (2025) · cites this paper as [36]
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- Authors
- Petersen, J.
- Affiliations
- Utah State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Petersen, Julie
- ORCID
- Petersen, Julie
- Venue
- Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy
- Publisher
- Springer Publishing Company
- Published
- 2024-03-22
- Volume
- 38
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 333-352
- ISSN
- 0889-8391 (ISSN-L)
- 1938-887X
- OpenAlex
- W4393094266
- Cited by
- 1
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1
- FWCI
- 0.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- trichotillomania, habit reversal training, acceptance and commitment therapy, youth, hair pulling, early intervention, treatment protocols
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Behavior Therapy, Child, Female, Habits, Humans, Male, Trichotillomania, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
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