Skin Picking in Turkish Students

Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, triggers, and consequences of skin picking (SP) in a sample of Turkish university students, with an emphasis on gender differences. A total of 245 students from two universities in Turkey were assessed by using the Skin Picking Inventory. In total, 87.8% of the students reported engaging in SP, and 2.04% of the students had pathological SP. There was no statistically significant difference between female and male students regarding the frequency of SP and the estimated daily SP time. The SP episodes began earlier in men than in women. Women were found to pick their chins, whereas men were found to pick their legs more frequently. SP is prevalent among Turkish students. Triggers, characteristics, and consequences of SP in Turkish students are similar to the results reported in studies conducted on different cultures. Large-scale studies are needed to further investigate gender differences in SP.