Onychophagia and covid-19: case study of a young adult with ADHD

Abstract

The “nail bitting” is a behaviour, which is not very adaptive, and it is presented by some subjects. This pathology provoques on them the necessity of bitting their nails compulsively. If it is not treated precociously tends to perpetuate itself in time, and it is a tendency which is not decreasing with the age. It can be also increased in situations of stress and anxiety. This study will analyze the cognitive-conductual intervention with an adult of 25 years old, who is diagnosed of A.D.D.. The main objective of this research responds to the necessity of eradicate the behaviour of biting his nails during this pandemic stage. The end point of this investigation is to guarantee the fulfillment of the most basic recommendations on the COVID-19 protocol. This type of conduct are very dangerous because of the way the virus is mainly transmitted, which is through the hands, the nail bitting is overly frequent in patients with development issues, particularly those who are afflicted of A.D.D. like ours subject. The intervention who has used cognitive-conductual therapy with negative and positive reinforcers besides infographies of “Consejería de Sanidad de la Junta de Extremadura” emphasising the importance of the basics health measures and hand hygiene has had a high rate of success. The efficacy and efficiency of the therapy is endorsed by itself and it has evolved in a 90 days’ period and which was implemented during the home comfinement provoqued by the COVID-19 pandemic in March, April, May and June. The results demonstrated a slowly decrease of the frequency of nail bitting, acquiring an exponential rate since the first week until the complete eradication in the last weeks of treatment.