KurtzP_logo_kp1_700
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • WHAT & HOW WE TREAT
    • What do we treat?
    • Telehealth Therapy Sessions
    • How to Pick a Therapy and a Therapist
    • Good Faith Estimate (GFE)
    • WHAT & HOW WE TREAT
  • SELECTIVE MUTISM
    • What is Selective Mutism?
    • Mighty Mouth Kids Camp
    • Selective Mutism & Social Anxiety Groups
    • SM Parent Training Groups
    • SM Learning University
    • Research on PCIT-SM
    • PCIT-SM Certified Therapists
    • SM-BOT: The Behavioral Observation Test for PCIT-SM
    • Selective Mutism Resources
    • PCIT-SM Treatment Handouts
  • BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
    • What is Parent Training?
    • What is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy?
    • Parent Training for Child Compliance and Cooperation
    • Baby Steps: Weekly Virtual Group for Caregivers of Children Ages 0-3
    • Coping Kids Virtual Program
    • Capstone Summer Program
    • Training for Mental Health & Education Professionals
      • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Training for Mental Health Professionals
      • Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) for Educators & Schools
  • OCD & RELATED DISORDERS
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • Lunch ‘n Learn Webinars
    • Selective Mutism Resources
    • Evidence-based treatments – “EBTs”
    • Videos
    • PCIT Tracker Programs
  • TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT
    • Lunch ‘n Learn Webinars
    • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Training for Mental Health Professionals
    • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Adapted for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM) Training
    • Within Agency Training for PCIT Therapists to Become Trainers
    • Training & Consulting for Professionals
    • Pre-Professional Training
    • Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) for Educators & Schools
    • Employment
  • CONTACT
Join Us On Social Media
KurtzP_logo_kp1_700
KurtzP_logo_kp1_700
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • WHAT & HOW WE TREAT
    • What do we treat?
    • Telehealth Therapy Sessions
    • How to Pick a Therapy and a Therapist
    • Good Faith Estimate (GFE)
    • WHAT & HOW WE TREAT
  • SELECTIVE MUTISM
    • What is Selective Mutism?
    • Mighty Mouth Kids Camp
    • Selective Mutism & Social Anxiety Groups
    • SM Parent Training Groups
    • SM Learning University
    • Research on PCIT-SM
    • PCIT-SM Certified Therapists
    • SM-BOT: The Behavioral Observation Test for PCIT-SM
    • Selective Mutism Resources
    • PCIT-SM Treatment Handouts
  • BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
    • What is Parent Training?
    • What is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy?
    • Parent Training for Child Compliance and Cooperation
    • Baby Steps: Weekly Virtual Group for Caregivers of Children Ages 0-3
    • Coping Kids Virtual Program
    • Capstone Summer Program
    • Training for Mental Health & Education Professionals
      • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Training for Mental Health Professionals
      • Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) for Educators & Schools
  • OCD & RELATED DISORDERS
  • BLOG
  • RESOURCES
    • Lunch ‘n Learn Webinars
    • Selective Mutism Resources
    • Evidence-based treatments – “EBTs”
    • Videos
    • PCIT Tracker Programs
  • TRAINING & EMPLOYMENT
    • Lunch ‘n Learn Webinars
    • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Training for Mental Health Professionals
    • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy Adapted for Selective Mutism (PCIT-SM) Training
    • Within Agency Training for PCIT Therapists to Become Trainers
    • Training & Consulting for Professionals
    • Pre-Professional Training
    • Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) for Educators & Schools
    • Employment
  • CONTACT

What are Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)?

September 30, 2020
-
Posted by Kate Gibson, PsyD, ABPP

Ever heard of Trichotillomania or Excoriation? What are Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)? They are explained here in honor of BFRB Awareness Week October 1st-7th, 2020

You may have heard some of these terms before but been unsure what they are really about. Or maybe they are completely new to you and sound quite complicated. We have all seen someone bite their nails, twirl their hair, or maybe chew on their cheeks or lips… Although seeing this is common, for some people, it is harder for them to stop these behaviors and it may become more problematic.   

Here is an explanation of Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) adapted from the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (https://www.bfrb.org/). Some children and adults engage in repetitive behaviors that fall under the category of self-grooming and involve doing something to their bodies that causes damage. These behaviors become habits and can be exacerbated by stress. Many times people are not aware they are doing it, and need help noticing when it occurs. There are often triggers happening inside the person or in the setting around the person that may not have been identified as triggers yet. The symptoms cause emotional distress and have physical effects. This can be a persistent condition that worsens and improves at various times throughout a person’s life.  

BFRBs occur in both boys and girls, but in adulthood are more common in women.  

For kids the MOST COMMON types of BFRBs are:
 
Skin Picking (Excoriation) Disorder: Involves repetitively touching, rubbing, scratching, picking at, or digging into their skin, resulting in skin discoloration or scarring.
 
Hair-Pulling Disorder (Trichotillomania): Involves pulling out the hair from their scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, and other parts of the body, and may behind leave patches without hair.
 
Nail-biting Disorder (Onychophagia): Involves biting their nails past the nail bed and chewing on cuticles until they hurt themselves, which may lead to soreness and infection.
 
Some other BFRBs are: cheek and lip biting, nail picking, scab eating.
 
How do you know when it’s a problem?
 
Body-focused behaviors are considered problematic for children when they are happening repeatedly over time and they result in negative physical, social, or emotional consequences.
 
Good news, there is help!!
 
Treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or a form of behavioral therapy called Habit Reversal Training (HRT) have been shown to be very helpful for children with body-focused repetitive behaviors! HRT involves building motivation to change the behavior and building substitute behaviors to replace the unhelpful BFRB. 

Often times kids need help bringing attention to when they are doing the behavior. This can be a gentle reminder from a parent at home or a teacher at school. Having something tactile to fidget with helps the child do something else with their hands, which allows them to work on changing the behavior. 
 
You can find more information and resources at:  

https://www.bfrb.org/ 

https://adaa.org/body-focused-repetitive-behaviors 

https://www.stoppulling.com/ 

https://www.stoppulling.com/ 

Email
Screenshot 2018-12-21 15.24.12

Kate Gibson, PsyD, ABPP

Kate Gibson, PsyD, ABPP is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxiety, trauma, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs), and behavioral problems. Dr. Gibson also has a subspeciality in Selective Mutism. Dr. Gibson is board certified in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Dr. Gibson ... Read full bio

Related

Other posts that you should not miss.

Managing Children’s Anxiety During Quarantine

April 20, 2020
The arrival of COVID-19 in America and the subsequent efforts to slow the spread via social distancing has understandably contributed to enhanced anxiety in individuals across the nation…
Read More →
Screenshot 2018-12-21 08.58.11
Posted by Caroline Harvey, PsyD
6 MIN READ

Infant Mental Health  

September 16, 2020
Infant mental health (IMH) refers to the mental health of young children from birth to age five. Understanding infant mental health is critical to preventing and treating the mental health problems of young children…
Read More →
Posted by Brooke Edelman, MA
3 MIN READ

Co-Parenting During the COVID-19 Pandemic

April 6, 2020
With widespread school closures and social distancing, parenting has taken on a new meaning. You may suddenly have added roles as in-home teacher, chef, sports coach, choreographer, and…
Read More →
Fisher_Julia headshot square
Posted by Julia Fisher, MS
6 MIN READ
Kurtz Psychology
  • Home
  • About Us
  • What do we treat?
  • What is Selective Mutism?
  • What is Parent Training?
  • Videos
  • Employment
  • Contact Us
Explore Next Steps
  • Mighty Mouth Kids Camp
  • Lunch ‘n Learn Webinars
  • Selective Mutism Resources
  • Pre-Professional Training
  • What is Parent-Child Interaction Therapy?
  • What is Selective Mutism?
  • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Training for Mental Health Professionals
Recent Blog Posts
  • April 6, 2022
    Supporting Your Child’s Sleep
  • April 1, 2022
    How to Support Anxious Children in Being Brave
  • March 10, 2022
    Awareness is Prevention: Self Harm Awareness Month
©2019 Kurtz Psychology, All Rights Reserved
Facebook Instagram Twitter
What are Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)? | Kurtz Psychology