Psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Milwaukee Inventory for the Dimensions of Adult Skin Picking (MIDAS) in clinical and non-clinical samples
Andrea Pozza, Gian Paolo Mazzoni, Irene Patassini, Davide Berardi, Fabiana Molinaro, Gaia Parenti, Davide Dèttore
Pathological Skin Picking Disorder (SPD) has been included in the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and
related Disorders chapter of the DSM-5. The Milwaukee Inventory for the Dimensions of Adult Skin Picking
(MIDAS) is a self-report measure of two different dimensions of SPD: Focused and Automatic skin
picking. In the Italian context, there is a lack of validated measures of SPD, and no study has evaluated
the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the MIDAS. This study aimed to investigate the
psychometric properties of the Italian version of the MIDAS. Eight hundred and thirty-six participants
recruited from the general population completed the MIDAS. Of these, 528 also completed measures
of anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and impulsivity. To assess criterion-related
validity, twenty-five patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) were compared with 30 nonclinical
participants on the MIDAS subscales. Analyses evidenced a three-factor solution. The first
factor, defined as «Automatic» skin picking, measures a subtype of SPD, which tends to occur without
awareness. The second factor, defined as «Focused» skin picking, measures a subtype, which tends
to occur in response to negative emotions. The third factor, «Mixed» skin picking, includes features
related to both the subtypes. The three subscales showed moderate to good internal consistency and
test-retest reliability.
Patients with BPD had significantly higher scores on the MIDAS total and «Focused» subscale but not
on the other subscales, suggesting that skin picking behaviours could be a coping strategy for negative
emotion regulation. Findings, limitations, and implications for practice are addressed.
Keywords
Excoriation Disorder, MIDAS, Skin Picking, Borderline Personality Disorder,
Psychometric Properties.
