Trichotillomania: a comprehensive behavioral model

Abstract

As our knowledge of chronic hair pulling as neither rare nor benign has increased, so has the need for a comprehensive framework to guide our conceptualization of this disorder for both research and clinical work. Such a model is presented which incorporates (a) the varied antecedents that both cue the impulse to pull and facilitate pulling, (b) the wide array of behaviors involved in the actual pulling, and (c) the full range of consequences of pulling. The cyclical nature of pulling episodes is highlighted.