The relationship of comorbid problem behaviors to social skills in persons with profound mental retardation.
Stereotypy plus self-injury together signal the weakest non-verbal social skills in profound ID—treat both behaviors to unlock social progress.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team watched adults with profound intellectual disability during everyday activities. They counted who showed stereotypy, self-injury, both, or neither.
Then they scored each person's non-verbal social skills, things like eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions.
What they found
People who had both stereotypy and self-injury scored lowest on non-verbal social skills. Those with only one problem behavior did a little better. Those with neither did best.
The more behavior problems, the flatter the social presentation.
How this fits with other research
Dubé et al. (2024) extends this idea to youth with mild-moderate ID. They also found distinct social profiles, but linked good social skills to higher self-esteem instead of just fewer behavior problems.
Austin et al. (2015) widens the lens to adults with ASD plus profound ID. They show the same pile-up effect: more diagnoses mean more comorbid symptoms, including self-injury.
L et al. (2006, bipolar study) seems to contradict because it found verbal, not non-verbal, social deficits. The difference is the second condition: bipolar disorder changes conversational style, while stereotypy plus SIB affects body language.
Why it matters
When you see profound ID and poor eye contact or flat affect, screen for both stereotypy and self-injury, not just one. If both are present, expect the lowest social-communication baseline and plan more teaching trials for non-verbal skills. Pair your intervention with behavior-reduction for the best social gains.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Research into behavior problems among individuals with mental retardation has been well developed. However, few studies have addressed the effect of multiple problem behaviors on social skills. In the present study, the authors examined the relationship between two problem behaviors, stereotypy and self-injury, and social skills among individuals with profound mental retardation. A total of 120 participants were divided into four groups based on the presence of stereotypic and self-injurious behavior. Persons with comorbid stereotypy and self-injury evinced more negative nonverbal social skills than did those with self-injury alone or no problem behaviors. In the past, researchers examined behavior problems as isolated phenomena. However, a recent shift in the conceptualization of problem behaviors has exposed the lack of research regarding the nature of social and adaptive skills in the face of multiple topographies of problem behaviors using broader conceptualizations.
Behavior modification, 2006 · doi:10.1177/0145445505283415