Self-injurious behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder enrolled in the Study to Explore Early Development.
Gnakub Norbert Soke, Steven A Rosenberg, Cordelia Robinson Rosenberg and 3 others
PMID 28635306WHAT IT FOUND
Parent-reported self-injury was common in 692 children with ASD: 28% current, 47% ever.
It went with sleep, gut, behavior, adaptive skills, and younger maternal age; clinicians observed it in 6%.
Key findings
01Parent-reported current self-injury occurred in 28% and ever self-injury in 47% of children with ASD.
02Clinician observation identified self-injury in 6%, compared with parent-reported current self-injury of 28% and ever self-injury of 47%.
03Five variables (lower child adaptive skills, sleep, gastrointestinal and behavioral problems/issues, and younger maternal age) were significantly associated with both current and ever self-injury.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only children with ASD from six U.S. sites, so it may not apply to all children with ASD. Because the design was cross-sectional, it cannot show whether the factors came before self-injury or after it. Self-injury and many factors were parent-reported, so reporting style or parental stress may have influenced both. Clinician observation lasted only 30 to 40 minutes in a new setting, so it may have missed self-injury that occurs at home. The factors associated with parent-reported self-injury were not significant with clinician-observed self-injury. Some associations, including cesarean birth, male sex, and non-Hispanic white race, were new and need replication.
Declared interests
The metadata lists U.S. government Public Health Service research support. The article text provided does not state author conflicts.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that sleep, gastrointestinal, behavioral, adaptive, or sensory problems cause self-injury. The study was cross-sectional and relied on parent report, so it shows associations at one time, not that treating these problems reduces self-injury.