B-33 Cognitive Mechanisms Associated with Emotion-Focused Pulling in Trichotillomania

Abstract

Abstract Objective A revised version of the Milwaukee Inventory for Subtypes of Trichotillomania-Adult (MIST-A) provides scores for two distinct behavioral patterns of hair pulling in trichotillomania: emotion and intention pulling. The current study explored the relationship between these scales and several cognitive domains. Method This study used baseline data from a randomized controlled trial of a cognitive-behavior therapy intervention for trichotillomania. Participants from the general community were eligible if they met diagnostic criteria for trichotillomania. Thirty-two individuals were enrolled and completed baseline measures. The sample was 78% female, and the mean age was 34. At baseline, participants completed diagnostic interviews, self-report symptom questionnaires, and tasks from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (the stop-signal test, the intra/extra dimensional shift task, and the Cambridge gambling task ). These provided scores of intra and extra dimensional set-shifting, response inhibition, decision making quality, and sensitivity to risk. Correlational analyses were conducted comparing each cognitive score to each MIST-A score. Results Analyses revealed significant negative correlations between emotion pulling score and decision making quality r (30) = -.383, = .031 and emotion pulling score and sensitivity to risk r (30) = -.396, p = .025. Conclusion These findings provide initial insight into some of the cognitive mechanisms associated with emotion focused pulling. Individuals who pull their hair with the aim of reducing negative emotions (e.g. boredom, anxiety) showed themselves on the gambling task to be more willing to bet on an unlikely outcome, and less willing to adjust their betting amount according to the likelihood of an outcome.