Sensory processing in skin picking disorder

Background

Skin Picking Disorder (SPD) is an oftentimes disabling disorder wherein people compulsively pick their skin. While sensory processing abnormalities have been examined in body-focused repetitive behaviors more broadly, relatively little attention has been played to the role of sensory processing in SPD specifically.

Methods

A total of 183 adults, 118 with SPD and 65 healthy controls, completed the Adolescent Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) to assess sensory processing patterns. Those with SPD also completed measures to assess skin picking severity, quality of life, and functional impairment. We examined whether scores on the four AASP subscales differ between individuals with SPD and healthy controls, and whether sensory processing among those with SPD affects disorder severity, quality of life, or functional impairment.

Results

Participants with SPD scored significantly higher on the AASP subscales of low registration, sensory sensitivity, and sensation avoiding than healthy controls (all p's < 0.01). There were no differences in sensation seeking between the two groups. Among those with SPD, those scoring “high” on the low registration subscale reported significantly greater skin picking severity and reduced quality of life as compared to those scoring lower on this subscale (p's < 0.001) Additionally, those scoring “high” on sensory sensitivity reported greater functional impairment than those scoring lower on this subscale (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

These data suggest that individuals with SPD display abnormalities in sensory processing relative to unaffected individuals. Future research should examine whether targeting sensory abnormalities among a subset of individuals with SPD may reduce the severity and associated burden caused by the disorder.