The Generic BFRB Scale-8 (GBS-8): a transdiagnostic scale to measure the severity of body-focused repetitive behaviours

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Generic BFRB Scale-8 (GBS-8): a transdiagnostic scale to measure the severity of body-focused repetitive behaviours

AU - Moritz, Steffen

AU - Gallinat, Christina

AU - Weidinger, Sarah

AU - Bruhns, Alina

AU - Lion, Despina

AU - Snorrason, Ivar

AU - Keuthen, Nancy

AU - Schmotz, Stella

AU - Penney, Danielle

PY - 2022/11

Y1 - 2022/11

N2 - BACKGROUND: Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) such as skin picking and hair pulling are frequent but under-diagnosed and under-treated psychological conditions. As of now, most studies use symptom-specific BFRB scales. However, a transdiagnostic scale is needed in view of the high co-morbidity of different BFRBs.AIMS: We aimed to assess the reliability as well as concurrent and divergent validity of a newly developed transdiagnostic BFRB scale.METHOD: For the first time, we administered the 8-item Generic BFRB Scale (GBS-8) as well as the Repetitive Body Focused Behavior Scale (RBFBS), modified for adults, in 279 individuals with BFRBs. The GBS-8 builds upon the Skin Picking Scale-Revised (SPS-R), but has been adapted to capture different BFRBs concurrently. A total of 170 participants (61%) were re-assessed after 6 weeks to determine the test-retest reliability of the scale.RESULTS: Similar to the SPS-R, factor analysis yielded two dimensions termed symptom severity and impairment. The test-retest reliability of the scale was satisfactory (r = .72, p<.001). Concurrent validity (r = .74) with the RBFBS was good (correlational indexes for concurrent validity were significantly higher than that for discriminant validity).DISCUSSION: The GBS-8 appears to be a reliable and valid global measure of BFRBs. We recommend usage of the scale in combination with specific BFRB scales to facilitate comparability across studies on obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders.

AB - BACKGROUND: Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) such as skin picking and hair pulling are frequent but under-diagnosed and under-treated psychological conditions. As of now, most studies use symptom-specific BFRB scales. However, a transdiagnostic scale is needed in view of the high co-morbidity of different BFRBs.AIMS: We aimed to assess the reliability as well as concurrent and divergent validity of a newly developed transdiagnostic BFRB scale.METHOD: For the first time, we administered the 8-item Generic BFRB Scale (GBS-8) as well as the Repetitive Body Focused Behavior Scale (RBFBS), modified for adults, in 279 individuals with BFRBs. The GBS-8 builds upon the Skin Picking Scale-Revised (SPS-R), but has been adapted to capture different BFRBs concurrently. A total of 170 participants (61%) were re-assessed after 6 weeks to determine the test-retest reliability of the scale.RESULTS: Similar to the SPS-R, factor analysis yielded two dimensions termed symptom severity and impairment. The test-retest reliability of the scale was satisfactory (r = .72, p<.001). Concurrent validity (r = .74) with the RBFBS was good (correlational indexes for concurrent validity were significantly higher than that for discriminant validity).DISCUSSION: The GBS-8 appears to be a reliable and valid global measure of BFRBs. We recommend usage of the scale in combination with specific BFRB scales to facilitate comparability across studies on obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders.

KW - Adult

KW - Comorbidity

KW - Humans

KW - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/psychology

KW - Reproducibility of Results

KW - Self-Injurious Behavior/psychology

KW - Trichotillomania/psychology

U2 - 10.1017/S1352465822000327

DO - 10.1017/S1352465822000327

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

C2 - 35924301

VL - 50

SP - 620

EP - 628

JO - BEHAV COGN PSYCHOTH

JF - BEHAV COGN PSYCHOTH

SN - 1352-4658

IS - 6

ER -