The Clinical Characteristics, Correlation with Other Disorders, and Treatment Methods for Children and Adolescents with Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors

Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are repeated actions performed on oneself as acts of self-grooming that may result in self-harm. The most common BFRBs are nail biting, excoriation (skin picking disorder), and trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder). This literature review examines the clinical characteristics, correlation with other psychological and neurological disorders, and treatment options for various BFRBs. A search of APA PsycInfo and PubMed databases yielded 74 sources, 13 of which have been used in this review. Clinical characteristics of BFRBs include emergence during childhood and adolescence, influence of other psychological disorders, self-awareness, biological sex, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, high levels of distress and emotional regulation, as well as impulsivity. Psychological and neurological disorders that are strongly related to BFRBs include OCD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood disorders, and Tourette’s Syndrome. Treatment options for BFRBs include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), habit reversal training (HRT), and a combination of medications and antipsychotic drugs as deemed necessary. Implications for research and practice could include further study of BFRBs in children and adolescents, as most research on BFRBs has come from adult studies, as well as further exploration of more treatment options for a definitive treatment method of BFRBs.