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A Preliminary Analysis of the Phenomenology of Skin-picking in Prader-Willi Syndrome

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Abstract

To examine the nature and psychosocial correlates of skin-picking behavior in youth with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS). Parents of 67 youth (aged 5–19 years) with PWS were recruited to complete an internet-based survey that included measures of: skin-picking behaviors, the automatic and/or focused nature of skin-picking, severity of skin-picking symptoms, anxiety symptoms, developmental functioning, symptoms of inattention, impulsivity, and oppositionality, and quality of life. Results indicated that skin-picking was endorsed in 95.5% of youth. Direct associations of moderate strength were found between skin-picking severity and symptoms of anxiety, inattention, oppositionality, developmental functioning, and quality of life. Other descriptive data, such as areas picked, cutaneous factors, antecedents, and consequences related to skin-picking are reported. The prevalence and consequences associated with skin-picking in PWS indicate a greater need for clinician awareness of the behavior and interventions tailored to meet the needs of this population.

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Notes

  1. http://www.fpwr.org/research/subjects; http://www.pwsa.co.uk/main.php?catagory=31; http://www.pws.org.au/research.html; http://www.pwsausa.org/research/participants_wanted.htm.

  2. Data regarding country of origin for participants was not collected.

  3. Further information about this study can be provided upon request by the second author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, 800 6th Street South 4th Floor, St. Petersburg, FL, 33701, USA

    Jessica R. Morgan, Eric A. Storch, Danielle Bodzin, Adam B. Lewin & Tanya K. Murphy

  2. Department of Psychiatry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Eric A. Storch & Tanya K. Murphy

  3. Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    Eric A. Storch

  4. Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA

    Douglas W. Woods

Authors
  1. Jessica R. Morgan
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  2. Eric A. Storch
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  3. Douglas W. Woods
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  4. Danielle Bodzin
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  5. Adam B. Lewin
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  6. Tanya K. Murphy
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jessica R. Morgan or Eric A. Storch.

Additional information

Portions of this paper were supported by a grant from the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research to the second author.

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Morgan, J.R., Storch, E.A., Woods, D.W. et al. A Preliminary Analysis of the Phenomenology of Skin-picking in Prader-Willi Syndrome. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 41, 448–463 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-010-0180-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-010-0180-7

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