Self-injurious behavior is prevalent in early childhood and it affects almost 53% of young children with disabilities. Once these behaviors are consistently present, they may become resistant to intervention. The purpose of this article is to provide early care and education center providers and family caregivers with ways to effectively reduce self-injurious behavior.
ChristensenT. J.RingdahlJ. E.BoschJ. J.FalcomataT. S.LukeJ. R.AndelmanM. S. (2009). Constipation associated with self-injurious and aggressive behavior exhibited by a child diagnosed with autism. Education and Treatment of Children, 32(1), 89–103. https://doi.org/10.1353/etc.0.0041
4.
ConroyM. A.DavisC. A.FoxJ. J.BrownW. H. (2002). Functional assessment of behavior and effective supports for young children with challenging behaviors. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 27(4), 35–47. https://doi.org/10.1177/073724770202700405
DimianA. F.BotteronK. N.DagerS. R.ElisonJ. T.EstesA. M.PruettJ. A., . . . IBIS Network. (2017). Potential risk factors for the development of self-injurious behavior among infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(5), 1403–1415. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3057-9
9.
DuerdenE. G.OakleyH. K.Mak-FanK. M.McGrathP. A.TaylorM. J.SzatmariP.RobertsS. W. (2012). Risk factors associated with self-injurious behaviors in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42, 2460–2470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1497-9
10.
EmersonE.KiernanC.AlborzA.ReevesD.MasonH.SwarbrickR.MasonL.HattonC. (2001). The prevalence of challenging behaviors: A total population study. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 22(1), 77–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0891-4222(00)00061-5
11.
FahmieT. A.IwataB. A.MeadS. C. (2016). With-in subject analysis of a prevention strategy for problem behavior. Journal of Applied Behavioral Analysis, 49(4), 915–926. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.343
12.
FurnissF.BiswasA. B. (2012). Recent research on aetiology, development and phenomenology of self-injurious behaviour in people with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review and implications for treatment. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 56(5), 453–475. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01534.x
13.
HanleyG. P.HealN. A.TigerJ. H.IngvarssonE. I. (2007). Evaluation of a class wide teaching program for developing preschool life skills. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 40(2), 277–300. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2007.57-06
14.
HochJ.SpoffordL.DimianA.TervoR.MacLeanW.SymonsF. J. (2016). A direct comparison of self-injurious and stereotyped motor behavior between preschool-aged children with and without developmental delays. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 41(5), 566–572. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsv102
15.
JensenC. C.McConnachieG.PiersonT. (2001). Long-term multicomponent intervention to reduce severe behavior: A 63-month evaluation. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 3(4), 225–236. https://doi.org/10.1177/109830070100300404
16.
KurtzP. F.ChinM. D.HueteJ. M.TarboxR. S.O’ConnnorJ. T.PaclawskyjT. R.RushK. S. (2003). Functional analysis and treatment of self-injurious behavior in young children a summary of 30 cases. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36(2), 205–219. https://doi.org/10.1901/jaba.2003.36-205
17.
LuczynskiK. C.HanleyG. P. (2013). Prevention of problem behavior by teaching functional communication and self-control skills to preschoolers. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 46(2), 355–368. https://doi.org/10.1002/jaba.44.
18.
LuiselliJ. K.CochranM. L.HuberS. A. (2005). Effects of otitis media on a child with autism receiving behavioral intervention for self-injury. Child & Behavior Therapy, 27(2), 51–56. https://doi.org/10.1300/J019v27n02_05
19.
MacLeanW. E.DornbushK. (2012). Self-injury in a statewide sample of young children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 5(3–4), 236–245. https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2011.590627
MuranoD.SawyerJ. E.LipnevichA. A. (2020). A meta-analytic review of preschool social and emotional learning interventions. Review of Educational Research, 90(2), 227–263. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654320914743
22.
NguiE. M.FloresG. (2007). Unmet needs for specialty, dental, mental, and allied health care among children with special health care needs: Are there racial/ethnic disparities?Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 18(4), 931–949. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2007.0102
23.
RichmanD. M. (2008). Early intervention and prevention of self-injurious behavior exhibited by young children with developmental disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability, 52(1), 33–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2007.01027.x
24.
RichmanD. M.LindauerS. (2005). Longitudinal assessment of stereotypic, proto-injurious, and self-injurious behavior exhibited by young children with developmental delays. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 110(6), 439–450. https://doi.org/10.1352/0895-8017(2005)110[439:LAOSPA]2.0.CO;2
25.
RobinsonJ.GershwinT.LondonD. (2019). Maintaining safety and facilitating inclusion: Using applied behavior analysis to address self-injurious behaviors within general education classrooms. Beyond Behavior, 28(3), 154–167. https://doi.org/10.1177/107429561987047
26.
TateB. G.BaroffG. S. (1966). Aversive control of self-injurious behavior in a psychotic boy. Behavior Research and Therapy, 4(4), 281–287. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-7967(66)90024-6
27.
TaylorL.MurphyG.OliverC. (2010). The chronicity of self-injurious behavior: Long-term follow-up of a total population study. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disability, 24(2), 105–117. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-3148.2010.00579.x
TigerJ. H.HanleyH. P.BruzekJ. (2008). Functional communication training: A review and practical guide. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1(1), 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03391716
30.
VohraR.MadhavanS.SambamoorthiU.St PeterC. (2014). Access to services, quality of care, and family impact for children with autism, other developmental disabilities, and other mental health conditions. Autism, 18(7), 815–826. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361313512902
31.
WackerD. P.BergW. K.HardingJ. W.BarrettoA.RankinB.GanzerJ. (2005). Treatment effectiveness, stimulus generalization, and acceptability to parents of functional communication training. Educational Psychology, 25(2), 233–256. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144341042000301184