Investigating the Roles of Social Connectedness in Trichotillomania

Low social connectedness is consistently associated with poor health outcomes, both mental and physical. Yet to be established, however, is whether social connectedness impacts trichotillomania (TTM, compulsive hair-pulling disorder). Previous research demonstrates that social factors influence TTM, suggesting that social connectedness plays important roles. If so, better establishing these roles could lead to better understanding TTM, and to reducing symptom severity through social interventions.
Study 1 will establish the social connectedness of individuals with TTM, assessing whether they exhibit low levels of social connectedness relative to matched controls. Besides using pre-existing self-report measures of social connectedness, we will develop a novel measure that assesses social connectedness in specific situations. Study 2 will assess how TTM individuals connect with others about TTM, establishing their willingness to discuss TTM, with whom, and in what contexts. This study will also establish how features of TTM conversations are related to TTM symptom severity, shame, and stigma. Study 3 will develop and evaluate an app that helps people with TTM connect with TTM and non-TTM individuals, aiming to increase social connectedness, especially about TTM. The app will also collect data that establishes cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between social connectedness and pulling.
The proposed research will increase understanding of how social connectedness is related to TTM. Not only would these findings be informative for social scientists, they could play central roles in helping individuals work with TTM. Additionally, the proposed app may help TTM individuals better understand TTM and decrease its severity through increased social connection.