Efficacy of an internet-based self-help program treating skin picking disorder with a multiple baseline design: A pilot study

Background

People affected by skin picking disorder (SPD) feel a strong urge to manipulate their skin and feel incapable of stopping. First studies on cognitive-behavioral treatments found moderate to large effects on the reduction of symptomatology. We developed an easy to access cognitive-behavioral self-help program and tested its efficacy on SPD.

Method

The program includes modules on self-awareness, psychoeducation, strategies to control picking and relapse-prevention. In a multiple baseline-design 43 women diagnosed with SPD accessed the online program. Symptomatology was assessed via skin picking scales before, throughout, and after the completion of the intervention. We analyzed the data using a repeated measurement ANOVA and planned contrasts.

Results

We found significant large effects for skin picking symptom reduction throughout a 6-month follow-up (0.325 ≤ η_p² ≤ 0.430) for completers (n = 25). In planned contrasts the significant reduction of symptoms (after baseline self-monitoring) to 6-month follow-up was large (0.281 ≤ η_p² ≤ 0.375).

Conclusions

With the internet-based self-help program Knibbelstopp we implemented an efficacious self-help tool for SPD, which requires further investigation regarding generalizability of this effect. Our self-help program is accessible online and may help to improve the health care situation for German speaking individuals with SPD.