Nail-biting is one of the most widespread behavioral habits among school students, affecting a large percentage of children and adolescents across various educational stages. This habit, which may seem simple and harmless at first, can develop into a complex behavioral problem affecting the student's physical and psychological health,
negatively impacting their academic performance and social interaction within the school community. The school environment, with its daily pressures and challenges, plays a pivotal role in either increasing this habit or treating it, making understanding this phenomenon and developing effective strategies to confront it extremely important to ensure the students' psychological and physical health and safety.
Definition of Nail-Biting and Its Prevalence in the School Environment
Nail-biting, scientifically known as "Onychophagia," is a compulsive behavior involving frequent, involuntary biting of the nails with the teeth. This habit is widespread in schools, with studies indicating that approximately 30-60% of children and adolescents engage in this behavior to varying degrees.
The school environment provides many triggers for this behavior, such as anxiety about exams, peer pressure, and academic competition. Teachers and supervisors in schools frequently observe this behavior during periods of stress, such as tests or presentations. It can also occur during waiting times or idle moments within classrooms.
Psychological Causes of Nail-Biting in the School Environment
The psychological reasons behind the emergence of nail-biting in the school environment are numerous. The most prominent triggers for this behavior include:
- · Students facing academic pressures, such as difficult curricula or fear of failure.
- · Boredom and spending long hours in classrooms without stimulating activity can prompt some students to practice this behavior.
- · Social problems, such as difficulty making friends or exposure to bullying.
- · A high-pressure school environment that does not consider the psychological needs of students.
Health Impacts of Nail-Biting on Students in School
The habit of nail-biting in the school environment leads to many health risks that affect student safety.
- · Physical risks include bacterial and fungal infections resulting from germs entering the mouth through small wounds.
- · Continuous biting leads to deformed nail shape and abnormal growth.
- · Dental and gum problems result from the constant use of teeth to bite hard materials.
- · The risk of transmitting infections and parasites from the nails to the mouth increases through the exchange of school supplies.
- · This habit may affect the student's overall appearance and self-confidence in front of their peers at school.
Factors Triggering Nail-Biting in the Educational School Environment
Factors that trigger nail-biting in the school environment include:
- · Exams and continuous assessments create a state of persistent anxiety among students.
- · Sitting for long periods in classrooms without sufficient movement creates a state of boredom and a need for manual activity.
- · Peer pressure and the need for social belonging within school groups can be a strong trigger for this behavior.
- · The lack of alternative activities to keep hands busy during learning or long waits at school.
The Impact of Nail-Biting on Academic Performance and School Interaction
The habit of nail-biting directly and indirectly affects students' academic performance in school. Directly, this behavior distracts the student during lessons and reduces their concentration on the educational material. It can also cause embarrassment and shyness that prevents the student from actively participating in classroom activities.
The psychological impact includes low self-confidence and avoidance of social interactions with peers at school. The pain and discomfort resulting from wounds and inflammations can affect the student's ability to write and perform various manual activities. A school environment that does not handle this problem sensitively may increase the student's suffering and exacerbate the problem rather than solve it.
The Role of Teachers in Detecting and Confronting the Problem of School Nail-Biting
The role of teachers in confronting the problem is as follows:
- · Continuous and careful observation of student behaviors during classes.
- · Dealing with sensitivity and understanding, as direct blame or reprimand may increase anxiety and worsen the problem.
- · Providing healthy alternatives, such as stress balls or special fidget pens, can help students redirect their behavior.
- · Creating a comfortable and encouraging atmosphere and engaging students in interactive activities that occupy their hands and minds in positive ways.
Prevention Strategies for Nail-Biting in School Institutions
Ways to prevent the habit of nail-biting in the school environment include:
- · Establishing awareness programs that educate students about the harms of this habit and teach them alternative ways to deal with stress and anxiety.
- · Developing an educational environment that reduces causes of stress by diversifying teaching methods and reducing unnecessary academic pressures.
- · Providing regular physical and artistic activities that help students release their energy and tension in positive ways within the school.
- · Training teachers and staff to identify the early signs of this habit and deal with it in a supportive, not critical, manner.
- · Providing a safe environment for expressing feelings and dealing with challenges in healthy ways.
School Intervention to Treat the Habit of Nail-Biting
Therapeutic intervention for nail-biting in school requires a multi-dimensional approach involving the student, family, and school, including:
- · Identifying the specific triggers for each student by observing the situations in which this habit increases within the school.
- · Teaching the student alternative behaviors, such as using a rubber ball or a special pen when feeling the urge to bite nails.
- · Implementing cognitive and behavioral therapy programs through the school psychologist.
- · Collaboration with the family is essential to ensure the continuity of treatment outside school hours.
The Family's Role in Supporting Nail-Biting Treatment with the School
The family and school must cooperate to treat this habit as follows:
- · Understanding that this habit is not just a bad habit but a psychological response to pressures the child faces in their environment.
- · Continuous communication with teachers and specialists at the school helps monitor progress and coordinate treatment efforts.
- · Parents should avoid criticizing or threatening the child because of this habit.
- · Providing home activities that keep the child's hands busy, such as drawing or manual games.
- · Seeking medical follow-up when necessary to treat any health complications resulting from this habit.
Building a School Environment Supportive of Mental Health and Resistant to Negative Habits
Creating a healthy school environment resistant to negative habits like nail-biting requires the implementation of mental health policies. Developing extracurricular activity programs that include sports, arts, and music provides students with healthy outlets to express themselves and release tension.
Holding regular awareness workshops for students and parents about the importance of mental health and ways to deal with daily pressures. Creating an institutional culture that values diversity and supports every student in their educational journey, which reduces the likelihood of compulsive behaviors and helps build strong, psychologically balanced personalities.
Summary on the Habit of Nail-Biting
The habit of nail-biting in the school environment requires handling that involves understanding its psychological and environmental causes and developing integrated strategies for prevention and treatment. Success in addressing this problem requires the efforts of the school, family, and specialists to create a supportive environment that helps students develop healthy mechanisms for dealing with the pressures of school life.
Investing in school mental health programs is not only a solution to the problem of nail-biting but an investment in a healthier and more productive future for coming generations.