Development of a measure of hair pulling modalities

Abstract

The Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) model of treatment for trichotillomania (TTM) organizes cues for, and perceived consequences of, hair pulling in terms of five modalities (Sensory, Cognitive, Affective, Motoric, Place - SCAMP). The model proposes that assessment based on the SCAMP domains facilitates treatment by guiding individualized conceptualization of hair pulling. Empirical testing of this idea has been limited by the absence of a standardized, validated measure of SCAMP domains. This research was intended to develop such a measure. After preliminary work on content and format of the provisional test, Study 1 (N = 277 adult hair pullers, 97% female) utilized a provisional 27-item questionnaire. Item-level analyses led to deletion of some items. Subscales were low in internal consistency, and new items were added to each. A revised version of the SCAMP measure was examined in Study 2 (N = 184 adult hair pullers, 90% female) and again subjected to item-level and subscale-level analyses. Subscales of the final 49-item SCAMP measure showed high internal consistency and 2-month retest reliability as well as logically expected relations with symptom severity and hair pulling styles. The SCAMP test should prove useful in future TTM research and therapy settings.