Pain thresholds, psychological distress and skin damage in females with Skin Picking Disorder (SPD) symptoms

This dataset contains anonymized data collected in a study investigating the associations between psychological distress, skin characteristics, and pain sensitivity in adult females with elevated Skin Picking Disorder (SPD) symptoms compared to healthy controls. The study includes 125 adult females (aged 18–50 years) recruited in Poland between October and November 2025. Participants were divided into two groups based on screening scores on the Skin Picking Scale–Revised (SPS-R): a group with elevated SPD symptoms (n = 71; SPS-R > 5) and a healthy control group (n = 54; SPS-R = 0). Data were collected using a multi-method approach, combining online self-report questionnaires, laboratory-based physiological skin assessments, anthropometric measurements, and experimentally induced electrical pain stimulation. Psychological distress was assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales – 21 (DASS-21). Skin measurements included stratum corneum hydration (SCH), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), epidermal thickness, and dermal thickness. In the SPD group, measurements were taken at a picked site and a contralateral control site; in the control group, two matched sites were assessed. Pain sensitivity was evaluated using experimentally delivered electrical stimulation to the non-dominant forearm, with pain threshold and pain tolerance recorded in mA. Stimulation intensity increased in 1 mA steps starting at 1 mA. The dataset also includes sociodemographic variables (e.g., age, education, employment status), anthropometric variables (e.g., BMI, body composition), and additional contextual variables such as handedness, hormonal contraceptive use, and menstrual cycle regularity. For participants in the SPD group, additional variables describe the most frequently picked body area and the recency of skin picking (within the past three months vs. earlier).