Trichotillomania Referral Education Awareness and Treatment (TREAT)

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling), or TTM, is characterized by the recurrent pulling out of one's own hair resulting in noticeable hair loss. This impulse-control disorder includes an increasing sense of tension immediately prior to pulling hair out or when attempting to resist the behavior; pleasure, gratification, or relief when pulling out hair; and clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Experts believe there are potentially 2.5 million to 11 million people with TTM in the United States (Diefenbach, Reitman, & Williamson, 2000; Tay, Levy, & Metry, 2004). TTM is rarely screened for in clinical or research settings and often goes unrecognized due to the secretive nature of the disorder. TTM is one of the more obscure, understudied, and undertreated psychiatric disorders. People with TTM often feel shame, poor self-esteem, and feel and become isolated from others. Because of the lack of resources for this population, Danya International, Inc., proposes to develop, evaluate, and promote a multicomponent Trichotillomania Referral Awareness and Treatment (TREAT) program. The fundamental goal of TREAT is to inform and educate cosmetologists, clinicians, and other stakeholders about TTM and provide them with tools designed to help their patients/clients obtain treatment for this disorder. TREAT will be designed to increase awareness and knowledge about TTM among cosmetologists, and to help them educate their clients about TTM, as well as be designed to increase awareness and knowledge about TTM among clinicians and provide tools to help them educate and treat their patients. In Phase I, we will establish an advisory group; conduct a literature review; develop the guides, posters, and brochures; conduct focus groups with cosmetologists and clinicians; and modify them as suggested. We will also conduct feasibility evaluations of materials with a group of cosmetologists and a group of clinicians. In Phase II, we will develop additional materials, including a TTM Intervention Manual for Clinicians, a Clinician Online Course, a Cosmetologist CD-ROM Tutorial, a Recovery Web Site, an Education Video and Facilitator's Guide, and a brief Digital Video. A full-scale evaluation of all products created in both phases will also be conducted.