The Efficacy of Using Psychotherapy Interventions to Minimize Symptoms of Trichotillomania and Trichophagia: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Trichophagia, or eating one’s own hair, commonly occurs in individuals with trichotillomania. Minimizing the symptoms of trichotillomania and trichophagia and maintaining remission can encourage them to have healthy lives. Conduct a scoping review to investigate the efficacy of using psychotherapy interventions to minimize symptoms of trichotillomania and trichophagia among individuals with trichotillomania. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines to screen 19,552 studies published between 2010 and 2022. A total of 19 studies that fulfill the eligibility criteria reported that psychotherapy interventions had been effective and applicable approaches to minimizing the symptoms of trichotillomania and trichophagia. Psychotherapy interventions are a promising treatment that is regarded as a credible treatment approach to ensure long-term positive outcomes among individuals with trichotillomania. This scoping review verifies the formalization and incorporation of psychotherapy interventions into standard practice and highlights the importance of mental health practitioners using them to ensure long-term positive outcomes for individuals with trichotillomania. Moreover, practitioners need further specialized training on a variety of psychotherapy interventions because not all of them are familiar with these interventions.