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Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features
OBJECTIVE: Trypophobia refers to the fear of, or aversion to, clusters of holes. We assessed clinical features of trypophobia, and investigated whether it showed more resemblance to a specific phobia or to obsessive-compulsive disorder. METHODS: An online survey was conducted to gather information o...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health
2023
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| _version_ | 1867613296847224832 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Vlok-Barnard, Michelle |
| author2 | Stein, Dan |
| author_browse | Stein, Dan Vlok-Barnard, Michelle |
| author_facet | Stein, Dan Vlok-Barnard, Michelle |
| author_sort | Vlok-Barnard, Michelle |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | OBJECTIVE: Trypophobia refers to the fear of, or aversion to, clusters of holes. We assessed clinical features of trypophobia, and investigated whether it showed more resemblance to a specific phobia or to obsessive-compulsive disorder. METHODS: An online survey was conducted to gather information on sociodemographic variables, course and duration, severity, associated features, comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and levels of psychological distress and impairment in individuals with trypophobia. The survey also explored whether such individuals experienced more fear or disgust, and whether symptoms showed more resemblance to a specific phobia or to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Associations of symptom severity and duration with degree of impairment were investigated. RESULTS: 195 individuals completed the questionnaire. Symptoms were chronic and persistent. The most common associated comorbidities were major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Trypophobia was associated with a significant degree of psychological distress and impairment. The majority of individuals experienced disgust rather than fear when confronted with clusters of holes, but were more likely to meet DSM-5 criteria for specific phobia than for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Symptom severity and duration were associated with functional impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Given that individuals with trypophobia suffer from clinically significant morbidity and comorbidity, this condition deserves better recognition by and further attention from clinicians and researchers. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/37445 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:33:54.099Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateRange | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| publisher | Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health |
| publisherStr | Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/37445 Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features Vlok-Barnard, Michelle Stein, Dan Psychiatry OBJECTIVE: Trypophobia refers to the fear of, or aversion to, clusters of holes. We assessed clinical features of trypophobia, and investigated whether it showed more resemblance to a specific phobia or to obsessive-compulsive disorder. METHODS: An online survey was conducted to gather information on sociodemographic variables, course and duration, severity, associated features, comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and levels of psychological distress and impairment in individuals with trypophobia. The survey also explored whether such individuals experienced more fear or disgust, and whether symptoms showed more resemblance to a specific phobia or to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Associations of symptom severity and duration with degree of impairment were investigated. RESULTS: 195 individuals completed the questionnaire. Symptoms were chronic and persistent. The most common associated comorbidities were major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Trypophobia was associated with a significant degree of psychological distress and impairment. The majority of individuals experienced disgust rather than fear when confronted with clusters of holes, but were more likely to meet DSM-5 criteria for specific phobia than for obsessive-compulsive disorder. Symptom severity and duration were associated with functional impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Given that individuals with trypophobia suffer from clinically significant morbidity and comorbidity, this condition deserves better recognition by and further attention from clinicians and researchers. 2023-03-14T11:22:21Z 2023-03-14T11:22:21Z 2016 2022-11-21T09:11:30Z Master Thesis Masters MMed http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37445 eng application/pdf Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Faculty of Health Sciences |
| spellingShingle | Psychiatry Vlok-Barnard, Michelle Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features |
| title_full | Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features |
| title_fullStr | Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features |
| title_full_unstemmed | Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features |
| title_short | Trypophobia: An investigation of clinical features |
| title_sort | trypophobia an investigation of clinical features |
| topic | Psychiatry |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/37445 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vlokbarnardmichelle trypophobiaaninvestigationofclinicalfeatures |