Body-focused repetitive behaviors in school-going children and adolescents and its relationship with state-trait anxiety and life events

BACKGROUND: Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) are nonfunctional self-injurious behaviors. BFRBs fall under obsessive–compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs) and co-occur with anxiety disorders. AIM: The current study plans to assess the presence of BFRBs in schoolchildren and adolescents and find its relationship with state-trait anxiety and significant life events. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study identified twenty-one students with BFRBs using the Modified Habit Questionnaire. Along with the 21 matched healthy controls, both the groups were evaluated on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC) and Life Event Scale for Indian Children (LESIC). RESULTS: The study group scored significantly high on STAIC state score (P = 0.004), trait score (P = 0.014), and total score (P = 0.020). On five life events, the study group reported significantly high on stress. CONCLUSION: The study reports the presence of BFRBs in schoolchildren; state-trait anxiety and significant life events have a significant association with BFRBs.