Trichotillomania in children and adolescents: Review of the literature and case report

Hair pulling is an uncommon behavior for which a standard treatment modality has not yet been established; additionally its prognosis is generally guarded. This article reviews the literature and comments upon the demographic, dermatologic, clinical and psychodynamic features of trichotillomania. The various diagnostic association and the treatment approaches are discussed. A case of trichotillomania is presented and the possible relationship between trichotillomania and anxiety is explored.     

Comorbid disorders in hospitalized bipolar adolescents compared with unipolar depressed adolescents

This study examined comorbid psychiatric disorders in adolescents with bipolar disorder. Hospitalized bipolar adolescents (N=10) were compared to hospitalized adolescents with unipolar depression (N=33), and to adolescents with nonaffective psychiatric disorders (N=11). Results showed conduct disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychosis, and having any DSM-III-R psychoactive substance use disorder were all significantly more common in the bipolar group than the unipolar depressed group. Comorbid anxiety disorder was present in 40–45% of the subjects in the unipolar and bipolar groups, but in none of the control group subjects. This study is supported in part by a grant to Dr. Borchardt from the University of Minnesota Graduate School.     

Obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents. A 6–22 year follow-up study of social outcome

Twenty-eight adult males and 19 females with childhood obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were followed-up in young adulthood, six to 22 years after their first referral, and their social outcome was described. The overall, social outcome was illustrated with The Global Assessment Scale (GAS). Ten patients (21.2%) had a poor outcome with GAS-scores under 50; 19 patients (40.4%) had a GAS-score between 50 and 70; and 18 (38.3%) of the patients had a good prognosis with GAS-scores over 70. Childhood OCD-patients were more socially isolated in adulthood than a non-OCD psychiatric comparison group and an age and sex standardised group from the normal population: more still lived with their parents, and fewer had partnerships. Seventeen percent had been granted disability pension, which was significantly different from the normal population, but not from that of the psychiatric comparison group. Age of onset of OCD, social background factors, and symptomatology in childhood did not seem to predict the social outcome. OCD at follow-up was strongly associated with a poor outcome.

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Zusammenfassung 28 männliche und 19 weibliche Erwachsene mit Zwangsstörungen im Kindesalter wurden im jungen Erwachsenenalter 6 bis 22 Jahre nach der Erstvorstellung nachuntersucht und ihre soziale Entwicklung evaluiert. Die Global Assessment Scale (GAS) wurde zur Evaluation des all-gemeinen Sozialprognose herangezogen. 10 Patienten (21.2%) hatten eine schlechte soziale Entwicklung genommen mit GAS-Werten unter 50; 19 Patienten (40.4%) hatten einen GAS-Wert zwischen 50 und 70; 18 (28.3%) der Patienten hatten eine gute Prognose mit GAS-Wer-ten über 70. Die Patienten mit Zwangsstörungen im Kindesalter waren im Erwachsenenalter stärker sozial isoliert als eine psychiatrische Kontrollgruppe und eine nach Alter und Geschlecht parallelisierte Gruppe aus der Normalbevölkerung: aus der Patientengruppe lebten mehr noch bei ihren Eltern, und weniger hatten Partnerschaften. 17% waren berentet worden, was sich signifikant von der Normalbevölkerung unterschied, jedoch nicht von der psychiatrischen Kontrollgruppe. Das Alter zu Beginn der Zwangsstörung, soziale Hintergrundfaktoren und die Symptomatologie im Kindesalter schienen keinen Einfluß auf die Sozialprognose zu haben. Das Fortbestehen der Zwangsstörung zum Katamnesezeitpunkt war stark mit einer schlechten Prognose assoziiert.

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Résumé Les troubles obsessifs-compulsifs chez les enfants et les adolescents. Une étude de suivi de 6 à 22 ans du devenir social.28 hommes adultes et 19 femmes avec des troubles obsessifs-compulsifs de l'enfant (OCD) furent suivis en tant que jeunes adultes de 6 à 22 ans après leur première consultation et leur devenir social fut décrit. Le devenir social global fut apprécié par le Global Assessment Scale (GAS). 10 patients (21.2%) avaient un devenir pauvre avec un GAS score en dessous de 50; 19 patients (40.4%) avaient un score GAS au-dessus de 70. Les patients ayant des TOC depuis l'enfance étaient plus isolés socialement en tant qu'adultes que le groupe de comparaison psychiatrique non OCD ainsi qu'avec un groupe standardisé, en fonction de l'âge et du sexe, d'une population normale: davantage vivent encore chez leur parents et peu ont des partenaires. 70% avaient une allocation handicapée, ce qui était significativement différente de la population normale, mais de celle du groupe de comparaison psychiatrique. L'âge du début de l'OCD, les facteurs d'environnement social et la Symptomatologie dans l'enfance ne semblent pas prédire le devenir social. L'OCD est ainsi fortement associé avec un devenir pauvre.

     

儿童青少年焦虑与抑郁障碍共病的临床研究

目的了解焦虑和抑郁障碍患儿中焦虑与抑郁共病的发生率和行为特点。方法在门诊收集符合中国精神障碍分类与诊断标准第3版中焦虑障碍和抑郁障碍诊断标准的5～17岁儿童青少年,其中单纯焦虑障碍41例(焦虑组),单纯抑郁障碍31例(抑郁组),焦虑与抑郁共病31例(共病组)。由父母、儿童、医师分别采用自编一般资料表、Achenbach儿童行为量表(CBCL)、儿童焦虑性情绪障碍筛查表(SCARED)、儿童抑郁障碍自评量表和儿童大体评定量表,评定三组儿童。结果(1)焦虑障碍患儿有16%(8例)合并抑郁;抑郁障碍患儿有42%(23例)合并焦虑。(2)CBCL焦虑组的活动情况及社会能力总分[(15.74±3.65)分]优于共病组[(12.98±4.00)分]和抑郁组[(14.02±3.67)分],均P<0.01和<0.05;共病组行为问题总分[(61.74±28.96)分]高于焦虑组[(43.44±22.54)分]和抑郁组[(47.74±25.99)分;F=4.62,P<0.05]。(3)SCARED共病组的总分高于焦虑组和抑郁组(P<0.05)。(4)儿童抑郁障碍自评量表抑郁组和共病组总分高于焦虑组(P<0.01)。(5)儿童大体评定量表焦虑组[(67.71±9.54)分]优于抑郁组[(58.55±8.08)分]和共病组[(61.16±7.60)分;F=11.10,P<0.001]。结论儿童焦虑、抑郁共病现象常见,共病患儿比单纯焦虑或抑郁患儿的内化性问题、外化性问题更严重,社会功能损害更明显。     

双相障碍临床研究现状与趋势

与抑郁障碍相比,双相障碍的临床表现和病程更复杂,治疗更困难,预后更差,自杀风险更大。据报道,双相谱系障碍的患病率为6%,但是在世界范围内尤其是在中国,对这类疾病的识别率和治疗率很低。临床医生需要更熟悉＂软双相＂的症状,更准确地鉴别双相抑郁与单相抑郁,更准确地区分出共病双相障碍的其他精神障碍,并为预防双相障碍的复发提供更有效的维持治疗。对双相谱系障碍的临床研究需要有效地整合心理治疗和生物治疗。     

The phenomenology of hairpulling in a community sample

Assessment and treatment of trichotillomania (TTM) has evolved substantially over the past decade. However, standardized assessment and empirically supported treatment for TTM is still in early stages of development. We proposed that information important to the ongoing evolution of assessment and treatment could be obtained through the study of hairpulling across its range of severity. Hairpulling phenomenology was assessed in a large community sample across its range of presentation. Although the estimated prevalence rate of .6% for TTM is congruent with past studies, the 1.2% prevalence estimated for clinically significant hairpulling suggests that the current diagnostic criteria are overly restrictive. Overall, hairpulling occurred at a rate of 6.5%, while age of onset was 15.92 years. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and history of teasing were positively associated with hairpulling, while self-esteem was negatively related to hairpulling. Cognitions most commonly associated with hairpulling were “feels coarse” (53.3%), “doesn’t feel right” (30.0%), “is curly” (26.7%), and “doesn’t look right” (23.3%). Environments most commonly associated with hairpulling included “while reading” (38.9%), “while watching television” (37.0%), and “in class” (35.25). Applications of findings to assessment and intervention formulation are suggested, and limitations and future directions are discussed.     

Non-eating disorders psychopathology in children and adolescents with eating disorders: implications for malnutrition and symptom severity

OBJECTIVES: To compare the general psychopathology in an eating disorders (ED) and a child mental health outpatient sample and investigate the implications of comorbidity on psychological and physical measures of ED severity. METHODS: One hundred thirty-six children and adolescents with a DSM-IV ED diagnosis were compared with age- and gender-matched controls. Measures included the Eating Disorders Examination and the Child Behavior Checklist. RESULTS: The ED group had lower general and externalizing psychopathology scores and no difference in internalizing (anxiety-depression) symptoms. Of the anorexia nervosa group, 49% experienced comorbid psychopathology. This group had significantly higher ED psychopathology, longer duration of illness, and more gastrointestinal symptoms, but no difference in malnutrition status. Eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNos) group measures were less influenced by comorbidity status. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety-depressive symptoms are very common in children and adolescents with EDs. Comorbidity status influences illness severity, especially in the anorexia nervosa group. The management implications of these findings are discussed.     

Mood symptoms in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

Asperger Syndrome (AS) and High Functioning Autism (HFA) are psychiatric conditions belonging to the Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs), characterized by social dysfunction and focused interest, in the absence of mental retardation. Previous reports suggest that AS/HFA may be associated with important psychiatric comorbidities. Among the psychiatric internalizing disorders, depression and anxiety are probably the most common disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of mood disorders and identifying peculiar clinical features in subjects suffering from AS and HFA. 30 male patients with AS/HFA, 30 male patients affected by Major Depression (MD) and 35 male Typically Developing (TD) comparison were assessed with the CDI and the CDRS-R. Participants’ parents were invited to complete the CBCL and the P-YMRS. Moreover, the CGAS was rated by the clinicians. The evaluation of depressive symptoms showed that AS/HFA group reported higher depressive symptoms, as showed by CDI total, CBCL internalizing and CDRS-R total, compared to the TD group. No significant difference of depressive symptoms was found between the AS/HFA and the MD group, with the exception of CDRS-R total score. Moreover, linear regression analysis in the AS/HFA group between CGAS and depressive symptoms revealed that a higher level of depressive symptoms increased the risk of poorer global functioning. These results suggest that the depressive symptoms in AS/HFA patients may be associated with poorer global functioning, with a consequent impairment in their psychological profile and social adjustment, and should alert clinicians to the importance of assessing mood disorders in order to choose the appropriate treatment.     

Schizophrenia and related disorders in children and adolescents

This paper reviews the concept and recent studies on childhood and adolescent psychoses with special reference to schizophrenia. After a short historical introduction, the definition, classification, and epidemiology of child- and adolescent-onset psychoses are described, pointing out that some early-onset psychotic states seem to be related to schizophrenia (such as infantile catatonia) and others not (such as desintegrative disorder). The frequency of childhood schizophrenia is less than 1 in 10,000 children, but there is a remarkable increase in frequency between 13 and 18 years of age. Currently, schizophrenia is diagnosed according to ICD-10 and DSM-IV criteria. The differential diagnosis includes autism, desintegrative disorder, multiplex complex developmental disorder (MCDD) respectively multiple developmental impairment (MDI), affective psychoses, Asperger syndrome, drug-induced psychosis and psychotic states caused by organic disorders. With regard to etiology, there is strong evidence for the importance of genetic factors and for neurointegrative deficits preceding the onset of the disorder. Treatment is based upon a multimodal approach including antipsychotic medication (mainly by atypical neuroleptics), psychotherapeutic measures, family-oriented measures, and specific measures of rehabilitation applied in about 30% of the patients after completion of inpatient treatment. The long-term course of childhood- and adolescent-onset schizophrenia is worse than in adulthood schizophrenia, and the patients with manifestation of the disorder below the age of 14 have a very poor prognosis.     

Trichotillomania and its clinical relationship to depression and anxiety

Objective: Trichotillomania (TTM) is associated with high rates of co-occurring depression and anxiety disorders. What the co-occurrence of TTM, depression or anxiety disorders means clinically and cognitively, however, has garnered little research attention.

Methods: About 530 adults with TTM were examined on a variety of clinical measures including symptom severity, psychosocial measures of functioning, psychiatric comorbidity and neurocognitive testing assessing motor inhibition and cognitive flexibility. Clinical features and cognitive functioning were compared between TTM patients with current comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD), a current anxiety disorder, both MDD and an anxiety disorder, or neither.

Results: Of 530 participants, 58 (10.3%) had MDD only, 97 (18.3%) had an anxiety disorder only, 58 (10.3%) had both MDD and an anxiety disorder, and 317 (59.8%) had neither. For almost all clinical measures, those with MDD only reported worse symptoms than those with an anxiety disorder only, and the combination of MDD and an anxiety disorder reported the worst level of symptom severity.

Conclusions: These results suggest that adults with TTM and co-occurring MDD and anxiety disorders exhibit unique clinical differences. The clinical differences may also have treatment implications.     

Depressive Comorbidity in Children and Adolescents with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Aim of this study is to examine the effect of depressive comorbidity in 108 children and adolescents with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Fifty-five patients with GAD and depression were compared with 53 patients with GAD without depression. Age, gender and socioeconomic status did not differentiate the groups. Patients with comorbid depression had significantly more anxiety symptoms than patients without depression. Clinical presentation of GAD and pattern of comorbidity was similar in the two groups. Subjects with comorbid depression showed a more severe functional impairment, assessed with C-GAS. Data are discussed in the light of conceptualizations about the relationship between anxiety and depression.     

精神分裂症和抑郁症伴焦虑障碍的研究

目的 了解精神分裂症和抑郁症住院病人与焦虑障碍的共病发生率及相关因素分析。方法 住院精神分裂症病人41例和抑郁病人40例,用简明精神病量表（BPRS）、Hamilton抑郁量表（HAMD）、Hamilton焦虑量表（HAMA）、Liebowitz社交焦虑量表（LSAS）进行评定。结果 精神分裂症病人焦虑障碍的共病率为29．26％,抑郁症与焦虑障碍的共病率为50L。LSAS与HAMA呈正相关（r=0.465)。有关精神分裂症和抑郁症病人共病焦虑障碍经多元逐步回归可排除药源性焦虑。结论 对精神分裂症和抑郁症共患焦虑障碍应引起临床高度重视。     

Co-occurrence of 12-month mood and anxiety disorders and personality disorders in the US: results from the national epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and co-occurrence of DSM-IV personality disorders (PDs) among individuals with current DSM-IV mood and anxiety disorders in the US population and among individuals who sought treatment for such mood or anxiety disorders. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 43,093 individuals, 18 years and older, in the National Institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism's 2001-2002 National epidemiologic survey on alcohol and related conditions (NESARC). Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to determine the prevalence and associations between current DSM-IV axis I and axis II disorders. Associations between mood, anxiety and PDs were all positive and statistically significant. Avoidant and dependent PDs were more strongly related to mood and anxiety disorders than other PDs. Associations between obsessive-compulsive PD and mood and anxiety disorders were significant, but much weaker. Paranoid and schizoid PDs were most strongly related to dysthymia, mania, panic disorder with agoraphobia, social phobia and generalized anxiety disorder, while histrionic and antisocial PDs were most strongly related to mania and panic disorder with agoraphobia. Results of this study highlight the need for further research on overlapping symptomatology, factors giving rise to the associations and the treatment implications of these disorders when comorbid.     

Trichotillomania,stereotypic movement disorder,and related disorders

Trichotillomania is currently classified as an impulse control disorder not otherwise classified, whereas body-focused behaviors other than hair-pulling may be diagnosed as stereotypic movement disorder. A number of disorders characterized by repetitive, body-focused behaviors (eg, skin-picking) are prevalent and disabling and may have phenomenological and psychobiological overlap. Such disorders deserve greater recognition in the official nosology, and there would seem to be clinical utility in classifying them in the same diagnostic category.     

抑郁症与焦虑障碍共病临床特征研究

目的 调查抑郁症和焦虑症障碍的共病率,以及对临床严重程度的影响.方法 采用前瞻性、多中心、队列研究.入组对象符合美国精神障碍诊断与统计手册(第4版)抑郁症的诊断标准, 采用17项汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)和焦虑量表(HAMA),社会功能缺陷筛选量表(SSDS)和临床大体量表(CGI)评估.观察流行病学资料,焦虑和抑郁症状群、自杀状况.用情感性障碍和精神分裂症检查提纲中有关焦虑障碍的诊断清单评定患者合并的焦虑障碍.结果 共入组508例患者,首次抑郁发作为269例(53.0%),294例(57.9%)有过自杀观念,55例(10.8%)曾有自杀行为.45例(8.9%)伴精神病性症状.HAMD量表总分平均为(32.6±7.7)分;HAMA量表平均为(21.0±7.3)分,其中78.5%患者大于14分.抑郁症患者焦虑障碍的共病发生率为68.9%(350例),16.7%共病多种焦虑障碍.焦虑障碍种类分布以广泛性焦虑障碍为主,为56.1%.焦虑对抑郁症的临床严重程度有显著统计学意义,但自杀观念和自杀行为在共病与非共病之间未见统计学意义.36.0%患者同时伴有躯体疾病.结论 抑郁症与焦虑共病在临床上是常见的现象,合并的焦虑障碍以广泛性焦虑障碍为主,1/3的患者合并躯体疾病,应引起临床医生重视.     

Current irritability robustly related to current and prior anxiety in bipolar disorder

BackgroundAlthough current irritability and current/prior anxiety have been associated in unipolar depression, these relationships are less well understood in bipolar disorder (BD). We investigated relationships between current irritability and current/prior anxiety as well as other current emotions and BD illness characteristics.MethodsOutpatients referred to the Stanford Bipolar Disorders Clinic during 2000–2011 were assessed with the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD (STEP-BD) Affective Disorders Evaluation. Prevalence and clinical correlates of current irritability and current/prior anxiety and other illness characteristics were examined.ResultsAmong 497 BD outpatients (239 Type I, 258 Type II; 58.1% female; mean ± SD age 35.6 ± 13.1 years), 301 (60.6%) had baseline current irritability. Patients with versus without current irritability had significantly higher rates of current anxiety (77.1% versus 42.9%, p < 0.0001) and history of anxiety disorder (73.1% versus 52.6%, p < 0.0001). Current irritability was more robustly related to current anxiety than to current anhedonia, sadness, or euphoria (all p < 0.001), and current irritability-current anxiety associations persisted across current predominant mood states. Current irritability was more robustly related to past anxiety than to all other assessed illness characteristics, including 1° family history of mood disorder, history of alcohol/substance use disorder, bipolar subtype, and current syndromal/subsyndromal depression (all p < 0.05).LimitationsLimited generalizability beyond our predominately white, female, educated, insured American BD specialty clinic sample.ConclusionsIn BD, current irritability was robustly related to current/prior anxiety. Further studies are warranted to assess longitudinal clinical implications of relationships between irritability and anxiety in BD.     

Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents with intellectual disability: Prevalence and assessment

Children and adolescents with intellectual disability are known to experience mental health disorders, but anxiety disorders in this population have received relatively little attention. Firstly, this paper provides a review of published studies reporting prevalence rates of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents with intellectual disability. Secondly, the paper reviews measures of anxiety that have been evaluated in children/adolescents with intellectual disability, and details the associated psychometric properties. Seven studies reporting prevalence rates of anxiety disorders in this population were identified, with reported rates varying from 3% to 22%. Two-one studies evaluating a measure of anxiety in a sample of children/adolescents with intellectual disability were identified. While these studies indicate that several measures show promise, further evaluation studies are needed; particularly those that evaluate the capacity of measures to screen for anxiety disorders, not only measure symptoms.     

The depression distress amplification model in adolescents: A longitudinal examination of anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns,depression and suicidal ideation

Adolescents with comorbid anxiety and depression are at significantly increased risk of suicide. The recently proposed depression distress amplification model appears to have promise for explaining the relations between anxiety, depression, and suicidality, but it has not been tested in adolescents. Participants were 524 adolescents followed over two years. Baseline data for the current report were collected by trained interviewers while the adolescents were in eighth grade. Data were obtained in the same manner when the adolescents were in tenth grade. Baseline anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns significantly predicted suicidal ideation two years later, above and beyond baseline suicidal ideation and depression. Further, consistent with the depression distress amplification model, anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns interacted with depressive symptoms to predict suicidal ideation. This report extends the empirical and theoretical support for a relationship between anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns and suicidality.     

Manipulating visual perspective for obsessional imagery and its impact on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in an analogue sample

Visual perspective may have an important role in the phenomenology of intrusive images relevant to psychological disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The aim of the current study was to examine the subjective and behavioural effects of manipulating visual perspective, to either field or observer, on intrusive images related to doubting and contamination concerns. One hundred and twelve undergraduate participants with high levels OCD symptoms were asked to identify and imagine an intrusive image related to either doubting or contamination concerns. We then randomly assigned them to re-visualise their image from either a field (first-person) or observer (third-person) visual perspective. Participants shifted towards using an observer perspective demonstrated a greater decrease on ratings of subjective measures of image-related distress, prospective likelihood of the image occurring, and urges to suppress the image, relative to those shifted to a field perspective. In addition, those in the observer perspective evidenced a greater decrease on behavioural indices relevant to OCD, such as reduced frequency of the intrusive image and decreased efforts to neutralise the image. We discuss implications for imagery in OCD.