Research for People with Hair-Focused Repetitive Behaviors

Hair-Focused Repetitive Behavior Disorders & Hair Care

Experiences and Possibilities for Intervention

Dissertation Project at the University of Cologne

Studies 1 & 2 2020-2023

Evaluation & Article Writing Phase 2024

Article Submissions & Publications 2025

Deutsche Seite | German Page

D23 Study 1

Article 1 published with Hogrefe in the Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie

We translated the Beliefs in Trichotillomania Scale (BiTS) into German and validated it with the sample of study 1.

Validation of the German Beliefs in Trichotillomania Scale (BiTS-D)

Article 2 accepted for publication with Wiley in Health
Science Reports

The aim of this online survey was documentation and learning. Gaining a better understanding of specific personal and professional hair care habits and needs may help develop hair care interventions that support individuals in coping with their hair-pulling behavior.
You can find out more about Study 1 here.

Hair care and hair-focused repetitive behaviors: A descriptive cross-sectional study

D23 Study 2

Article 3 published in the Journal of Obsessive and Compulsive and Related Disorders

For this experimental open-label study, I developed a mindfulness-based hair care treatment and a training for hair professionals. I recruited hair professionals and people with hair-pulling disorder through my personal, professional, and academic network, online communities, and social media.
This research project aimed to determine what experiences those affected by TTM have with a hair appointment explicitly designed for them, which influencing factors are at play, and whether this measure affects hair-pulling behavior and self-confidence.

The impact of mindfulness-based haircuts on individuals affected by trichotillomania and related hair-focused repetitive behavior disorders and their hair-pulling behavior: A pilot study

Happy New Year 2026!

I want to express my deep gratitude to the participants of the two studies.
Thank you for taking the time, for being supportive of BFRBD research, and for sharing a little bit about you.

Thank you, dear hair professionals, for being part of this research project, for your time, care, and positivity. In addition to the questionnaires, I have received over 40 emails from participants who expressed their gratitude for the experiences you provided.

Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about the project through magazine articles, podcasts, emails, and word-of-mouth.

I am currently refining the manuscript and plan to submit the dissertation by the end of January 2026.

Linda

First Zoom Event for Hairdressers

by LindaHollatzAdmins | Mar 15, 2021 | News

Yesterday I held my first D23 Zoom Event for German speaking hairdressers. The invitation was emailed and posted with a potential reach of 1000+ hairdressers. Eventually 24 people from Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland signed up.

The economical impact on hairdressers from these countries due to Covid-19 is huge. Hairdressers in Switzerland are doing much better as their lock down periods were significantly less.

The Zoom Event included inspirational and informational presentations by a collegue and myself, smaller conversational groups and group sharing. All in all the study proposal and invitation for participation was well received. Most hairdressers had very few experiences with Trichotillomania patients.