{"title":"Narrative Review of Internet-Based Self-Help Tools for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors: Recommendations for Clinical Practice.","authors":"Emi M Murase, Sawye Raygani, Jenny E Murase","doi":"10.1007/s13555-025-01380-8","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), such as skin-picking, hair-pulling, and nail-biting, impair quality of life (QOL). While habit reversal training (HRT) is effective, access is often limited. Internet-based self-help interventions offer an alternative, improving accessibility for patients unable to attend in-person therapy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We reviewed randomized controlled trials analyzing self-help or internet-based interventions for BFRBs in adults. PubMed searches yielded 1033 studies, 12 of which met the inclusion criteria, focusing on self-guided interventions for various BFRBs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The review found that the \"Free from BFRB\" website was the most studied resource and consistently had high patient satisfaction. Self-guided HRT, decoupling, and decoupling in-sensu consistently reduced symptoms and improved QOL. Decoupling techniques were especially effective for trichotillomania and nail-biting.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Internet-based self-help interventions, especially self-help HRT, decoupling, and decoupling in-sensu, offer effective and accessible treatment options for managing BFRBs, particularly for those facing barriers to traditional therapy such as stigma, cost, or location. Engagement and frequency of use are important for the efficacy of self-help options, and therapist-guided treatments may offer more personalized, comprehensive care.</p>","PeriodicalId":11186,"journal":{"name":"Dermatology and Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Dermatology and Therapy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s13555-025-01380-8","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"DERMATOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), such as skin-picking, hair-pulling, and nail-biting, impair quality of life (QOL). While habit reversal training (HRT) is effective, access is often limited. Internet-based self-help interventions offer an alternative, improving accessibility for patients unable to attend in-person therapy.
Methods: We reviewed randomized controlled trials analyzing self-help or internet-based interventions for BFRBs in adults. PubMed searches yielded 1033 studies, 12 of which met the inclusion criteria, focusing on self-guided interventions for various BFRBs.
Results: The review found that the "Free from BFRB" website was the most studied resource and consistently had high patient satisfaction. Self-guided HRT, decoupling, and decoupling in-sensu consistently reduced symptoms and improved QOL. Decoupling techniques were especially effective for trichotillomania and nail-biting.
Discussion: Internet-based self-help interventions, especially self-help HRT, decoupling, and decoupling in-sensu, offer effective and accessible treatment options for managing BFRBs, particularly for those facing barriers to traditional therapy such as stigma, cost, or location. Engagement and frequency of use are important for the efficacy of self-help options, and therapist-guided treatments may offer more personalized, comprehensive care.
期刊介绍:
Dermatology and Therapy is an international, open access, peer-reviewed, rapid publication journal (peer review in 2 weeks, published 3–4 weeks from acceptance). The journal is dedicated to the publication of high-quality clinical (all phases), observational, real-world, and health outcomes research around the discovery, development, and use of dermatological therapies. Studies relating to diagnosis, pharmacoeconomics, public health and epidemiology, quality of life, and patient care, management, and education are also encouraged.
Areas of focus include, but are not limited to all clinical aspects of dermatology, such as skin pharmacology; skin development and aging; prevention, diagnosis, and management of skin disorders and melanomas; research into dermal structures and pathology; and all areas of aesthetic dermatology, including skin maintenance, dermatological surgery, and lasers.
The journal is of interest to a broad audience of pharmaceutical and healthcare professionals and publishes original research, reviews, case reports/case series, trial protocols, and short communications. Dermatology and Therapy will consider all scientifically sound research be it positive, confirmatory or negative data. Submissions are welcomed whether they relate to an International and/or a country-specific audience, something that is crucially important when researchers are trying to target more specific patient populations. This inclusive approach allows the journal to assist in the dissemination of quality research, which may be considered of insufficient interest by other journals. The journal appeals to a global audience and receives submissions from all over the world.