Relationship of Nailbiting to Sociopathy

Severe Morbid Onychophagia: The Classification as Self-Mutilation and a Proposed Model of Maintenance

“…Evidence of elevated anxiety levels in adults with onychophagia has been reported [33,35]. Higher levels of trait anxiety in a group of 40 adults with These results have indicated an effect of age on the relationship between anxiety and onychophagia.…”

“…Onychophagia has been viewed as a manifestation of psychiatric disturbance although its clinical significance has not been adequately clarified [35]. A higher incidence of onychophagia in a group of sociopaths than controls has been documented [35].…”

“…A higher incidence of onychophagia in a group of sociopaths than controls has been documented [35]. However, the measure of presence of nailbiting was subjective, assessed by asking 'do you bite your nails badly?'…”

“…Some support for this position has been provided through the reported lack of symptom substitution when the habit was abandoned [39]. However, although a lack of emotional disturbance may be the case in childhood, the fact that onychophagia is an ongoing habitual behaviour associated with elevated anxiety levels [33,35,36] is indicative of emotional disturbance.…”

“…The psychological state said to accompany onychophagia in this scheme was benign [ S I]. Again, this may be the case for mild onychophagia but the injury resulting from the severe form and elevated anxiety levels reported in adults with onychophagia [33,35,36] indicates some degree of psychological crisis. Onychophagia also was considered to be socially acceptable [51].…”