BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS FOR EXCORIATION DISORDER: REVIEW OF PAPERS PUBLISHED IN HEALTH JOURNALS

Abstract

Excoriation disorder is defined by excessive and recurrent behavior of scratching or injuring the skin. It is not related to neurodevelopment problems, it causes emotional suffering and it negatively affects the social life of those who present the condition. Besides being considered a dermatological problem, as it directly involves the skin and its attachments, the disorder is also a psychiatric condition that has been receiving attention from mental health researchers. A bibliographic review was conducted in health journals in order to identify applied studies and case reports with typically developing individuals that excoriate the skin, to present behavioral interventions employed as treatment, and to report the method and results of the adopted procedures. It was carried out an electronic search at PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed / MEDLINE and BVS databases using 'excoriation', 'neurotic excoriation' or 'psychogenic excoriation', combined with 'behavioral treatment', as descriptors. Eighteen articles were retrieved, cataloged and qualitatively analyzed based on their objectives, methods and results. It was found that most of the studies involved adults and used habit reversal therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. It was observed that these interventions were effective in reducing excoriation frequency, however follow-up evaluation indicated difficulty in maintaining the effects. It is suggested future research on excoriation disorder with more diversity regarding variables and patients. Functional analysis of excoriation behavior is also recommended. Key words: excoriation disorder, psychogenic excoriation, skin picking, habit reversal therapy, behavioral intervention.