A 17-year-old girl with trichotillomania refuses any medication. Which psychological treatment carries the strongest evidence base for her condition?
- A Habit reversal training ✓
- B Psychodynamic psychotherapy
- C Systematic desensitization
- D Interpersonal therapy
Correct answer: A. Habit reversal training
Explanation
Habit reversal training is the first-line psychological treatment for trichotillomania. It combines awareness training to identify pulling triggers with a competing response, such as clenching the fist, that makes pulling impossible, along with social support and relaxation components. Exposure-based desensitization is designed for phobic avoidance, and neither psychodynamic nor interpersonal therapy has demonstrated efficacy for hair-pulling disorder.
Reference: Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, 11th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
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