The definition, taxonomy, epidemiology, and ecology of self-injurious behavior.
Stop trusting the old SIB label and start tracking the exact setting events instead.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors looked at how we define self-injurious behavior (SIB).
They said current labels carry extra meaning that hides the real causes.
The paper lists new subclasses based on what happens around the behavior.
What they found
They found that SIB is not one thing.
Pain, noise, daily routines, and even the time of day can spark different kinds of SIB.
The paper urges us to watch the setting, than the label.
How this fits with other research
Storch et al. (2012) later filmed the adults and used t-pattern software.
Their data showed that SIB often comes after or before other acts in a clear rhythm.
This gives numbers to the 1980 idea that ecology shapes SIB.
Houston et al. (1987) took the 1980 "nonsocial SIB" box and gave it a name: sensory-maintained behavior.
They said the behavior feeds on its own sensory payoff.
Garcia et al. (1999) then linked the same subclasses to real social-skills gaps on the Matson scale.
Together these studies turn the 1980 theory into tools you can use today.
Why it matters
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The paper is a theoretical analysis of the evolution of the concepts related primarily to the definition and to the antecedents of self-injurious behavior (SIB). It was found that the definition of SIB as currently used contains surplus meanings unrelated to its scientific utility. At present, a restricted definition of SIB is not warranted because its basic parameters have not been studied adequately. Analysis of SIB taxonomies suggests two subclasses of SIB: social and nonsocial. Epidemiological studies of SIB suggest chronic and acute subsamples that differ in organicity, chronicity, and length of institutionalization. Ecological analysis suggests that a variety of antecedent conditions affect rates and topographies of SIB, e.g., ambient environmental conditions, background settings, situational demands, self-restraint, and type of daily routine activity. Implications were drawn for the organization of therapeutic environments, the study of covariation among collateral topographies, the dynamics of SIB responding, and sequential dependencies among SIB and related topographies.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1980 · doi:10.1007/BF02414818