Rates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors are elevated among autistic youth, yet research is limited to caregiver report or single-item questionnaires. Investigation of specific suicidal thoughts, triggers, and disclosure is needed to improve risk assessment and interventions. The current study characterized self-injurious thoughts and…

It was not known what school staff identifies as student behavioral concerns in rural, low-income elementary schools, what they attribute as the cause of these behaviors, and how this attribution may affect their response to such behavior. This qualitative case study explored the experiences of school staff members at a low-income elementary…

Background: It is mandatory for staff in Swedish community services for people with intellectual disabilities to report incidents of error or malpractice. Aim The aim is to study if incident reports contribute to developing quality in services for people with intellectual disabilities who present with challenging behaviours. Method: 159 reports on…

Background: The aim was to investigate the aggressive behavior of young people in specialized institutions with intellectual disability (ID) with or without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Method: Data on 305 institutionalized young people were collected using two aggression scales, the 'Children's Scale of Hostility and Aggression:…

Background: Behavioural interventions conceptualise self-injurious behaviour (SIB) as developing from early repetitive behaviours through acquisition of homeostatic functions in regulating stimulation and subsequent shaping into SIB through socially mediated or automatic operant reinforcement. Despite high success rates, such interventions rarely…

Although fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a single gene disorder with a well-described phenotype, it is not known why some individuals develop more significant maladaptive behaviors such as aggression or autistic symptoms. Here, we studied two candidate genes known to affect mood and aggression, the serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR) and monoamine…

This guide to preventing self-injurious behavior, in question-and-answer format, is intended for parents, teachers, and other caregivers of people with disabilities. It describes the more common types of self-injurious behavior, discusses methods for identifying causes of self injury, and outlines interventions. Specifically, the guide covers: (1)…