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What is the function of nail biting: an analog assessment study
Tim Ivor Williams1, Rebecca Rose, Sarah Chisholm
1School of Psychology, University of Reading and Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AL, UK. sxswiams@rdg.ac.uk
Objective:
To compare the frequency of nail biting in 4 settings (interventions) designed to elicit the functions of nail biting and to compare the results with a self-report questionnaire about the functions of nail biting.
Design:
Randomised allocation of participants to order of conditions.
Setting:
University Psychology Department.
Subjects:
Forty undergraduates who reported biting their nails.
Interventions:
Left alone (boredom), solving maths problems (frustration), reprimanded for nail biting (contingent attention), continuous conversation (noncontingent attention).
Main Outcome Measures:
Number of times the undergraduates bit their nails.
Results:
Nail biting occurred most often in two conditions, boredom and frustration.
Conclusion:
Nail biting in young adults occurs as a result of boredom or working on difficult problems, which may reflect a particular emotional state. It occurs least often when people are engaged in social interaction or when they are reprimanded for the behavior.
