What Factors are Related to a Negative Outcome of Self‐Injurious Behaviour During Childhood in Pervasive Developmental Disorders?

Abstract

Aim To explore the factors related to the outcome of self-injurious behaviour (SIB) in children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). Method Children with PDD were assessed on individual and environmental variables at time 1 and 3 years later. A questionnaire about the presence or absence of SIB was also administered at both times in order to examine the early course of SIB. Results Our findings suggest an association between a negative outcome and several aspects of the children's behaviour. Children with a negative outcome differed from the others in having greater speech impairment, more cognitive and adaptive deficits, and more severe signs of autism. When these variables were entered into a multivariate model for predicting the outcome of SIB, only speech deficits (OR a 3.5, CI 95% 1.13-13.4) and autism severity (OR a 1.1, CI 95% 1.03-1.18) were significant risk factors. Discussion The importance of these findings for improving our understanding of SIB is discussed.

Potential Risk Factors for the Development of Self-Injurious Behavior among Infants at Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…The relative risk of a child with ASD engaging in SIB at 24 months was almost two-fold that of a child without a diagnosis. These data are consistent with previous work and suggest that SIB emerges early in life, can be persistent, and is prevalent among children with ASD (e.g., Baghdadli et al 2008; Berkson et al 2001; Schroeder et al 2014). Almost half of the participants who engaged in SIB at Time 1 persisted in engaging in SIB at follow up.…”

“…Almost half of the participants who engaged in SIB at Time 1 persisted in engaging in SIB at follow up. Other studies report high persistence estimates among individuals with intellectual disabilities (Taylor et al 2011) and children with PDD-NOS (Baghdadli et al 2008). Based on these data, it is likely that once proto-injurious behavior or SIB emerges, it may remain stable, and should be evaluated even if it is not yet severe yet.…”

Recent research on aetiology, development and phenomenology of self‐injurious behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review and implications for treatment

“…Twenty‐three per cent of the young children in Berkson et al . 's (2001) study showed transient SIB without chronic topographies, Baghdadli et al . (2008) found that only 52% of children with ASDs aged 2–7 showing SIB continued to do so 3 years later, and Chadwick et al .…”

Multidisciplinary Assessment and Treatment of Self-Injurious Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability: Integration of Psychological and Biological Theory and Approach

“…The high prevalence of SIB in ASD has led to research investigating risk factors to better define this relationship. Some studies have shown that children with ASD have a higher risk of SIB if they have a younger chronological age or the presence of an associated perinatal condition (Baghdadli et al 2003), early speech deficits (Baghdadli et al 2008), limited daily living skills, or greater severity of ASD symptoms (Baghdadli et al 2003(Baghdadli et al , 2008. Other research has found stereotypy (Richman et al 2013), atypical sensory processing (Duerden et al 2012), and impulsivity to be predictors of SIB in individuals with ASD (Duerden et al 2012;Richman et al 2013).…”