Psychological interventions in self-injurious behaviour. Working with people with a learning disability.
BACKGROUND
Psychological approaches to working with people with learning disabilities who self-injury have developed over the past 30 years.


METHODS
The major literature is reviewed and an ecological framework is described which emphasises the importance of environmental, interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics to understanding the multi-factorial nature of self-injury. Case examples are given.


RESULTS
Self-injury is seen as essentially communicative and functionally adaptive; it is the person's best attempt to deal with abusive, neglecting or traumatic environments or events.


CONCLUSIONS
The persistence of self-injurious behaviour once established, requires an interdisciplinary approach which addresses comprehensively the variety of factors which have contributed to the development and maintenance of self-injury.
Halliday
S
S
Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Counselling Unit, Leeds CMH Trust.
Mackrell
K
K
D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy