Self-injury by people with mental retardation: a compulsive behavior hypothesis.
Self-injury is a significant problem for many individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly those with severe or profound mental retardation. Many hypotheses have been suggested to account for self-injury, but none has been comprehensive. In this paper hypotheses suggesting psychological, behavioral, physiological, or neurochemical factors as causes of self-injury were critically reviewed. A compulsive behavior hypothesis was then introduced, which allows for alternative interpretations of some existing data and suggests several readily testable predictions.
Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute 90024.
B H
BH
King
D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D003192:Compulsive Behavior / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology