Table 3.
Pathological skin picking and associated emotions.
| % (N) | |
|---|---|
| I pick my skin when I experience… | |
| strong negative feelings (e.g., anxiety, anger, sadness) | 76.0 (120) |
| strong positive feelings (e.g., joy, excitement) | 26.0 (41) |
| Boredom | 86.7 (137) |
| Bodily tension | 82.3 (130) |
| Relaxation | 29.1 (46) |
| During skin picking I experience… | |
| Positive feelings (e.g., satisfaction, joy) | 69.0 (109) |
| Negative feelings (e.g., anxiety, anger, sadness) | 36.7 (58) |
| Relaxation | 58.2 (92) |
| Tension | 53.2 (84) |
| Trance | 68.4 (108) |
| Loss of control | 72.2 (114) |
| Guilt | 54.4 (86) |
| Shame | 51.3 (81) |
| Anger toward myself | 51.3 (81) |
| Pain | 32.3 (51) |
| After I picked my skin I experience… | |
| Satisfaction | 26.0 (41) |
| Relaxation | 30.4 (48) |
| Tension | 51.3 (81) |
| Anger | 77.2 (122) |
| Anger toward myself | 69.6 (110) |
| Sadness | 55.7 (88) |
| Anxiety | 20.9 (33) |
| Guilt | 68.4 (108) |
| Shame | 70.9 (112) |
| Pain | 32.3 (51) |
N = 158; Answers on the 4-point Likert scale were dichotomized (Disagree: “does not apply at all,” “barely”/“never,” “rarely”; Agree: “applies somewhat,” “totally applies”/“sometimes,” “always”).