Who among the following is most likely to be diagnosed with excoriation disorder?

• A. A person who frequently washes their hands due to fear of contamination
• B. A person who has recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by purging
• C. A person who repeatedly picks at their skin, causing lesions and significant distress
• D. A person who experiences persistent and excessive worry about multiple aspects of life

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the definition of excoriation disorder, which is characterized by repetitive skin picking that leads to skin lesions and causes significant distress or impairment.
2. Step 2: Review each option and identify the key behaviors described: frequent hand washing (related to contamination fears), binge eating followed by purging, repetitive skin picking causing lesions, and persistent excessive worry.
3. Step 3: Recognize that frequent hand washing is a symptom commonly associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), not excoriation disorder.
4. Step 4: Identify that binge eating followed by purging is characteristic of bulimia nervosa, an eating disorder, and not related to excoriation disorder.
5. Step 5: Note that persistent and excessive worry about multiple aspects of life is a hallmark of generalized anxiety disorder, which differs from excoriation disorder.