A survey of the prevalence and nature of self-injurious behaviour in people with learning disabilities was carried out in three networks of housing for people with learning disabilities, with particular reference to the body site targeted in the course of the self-injurious behaviour. This information was collected using the methodology of Symons and Thomson and, in line with their findings, self-injury sites were found to be non-randomly distributed on the body. The hypothesis that self-injury sites may overlap with acupuncture sites associated with analgesic effects was supported by the present data. The implications of such findings for the support and care of people with learning disabilities who self-injure are discussed.
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