The relationship between childhood onychophagia (fingernail biting) & the suicidal & nonsuicidal mean age among 150 hospitalized psychotic veterans was investigated. Results show that the suicidal mean age is significantly younger than the nonsuicidal mean age & that the childhood onychophagia variable “focal suicide” significantly lowers the mean age of suicidal veterans, but does not significantly lower the mean age of nonsuicidal veterans.