title: Self-injurious behavior and Prader-Willi syndrome: behavioral forms and body locations.
abstract: With few exceptions (e.g., Lesch-Nyhan syndrome), the specific nature of self-injury in relation to identified genetic syndromes associated with mental retardation is poorly understood. In the present study we surveyed the families of 62 persons with Prader-Willi syndrome to determine the prevalence, topographies, and specific body locations of self-injurious behavior. Self-injury was reported for 81% of the participants. Skin-picking was the most prevalent form, with the front of the legs and head being disproportionately targeted as preferred self-injury body sites. Individuals with the 15q11-q13 deletion injured significantly more body sites than did individuals with maternal disomy 15. Results are discussed in relation to previous self-injury body site findings and implications for the relevance of syndrome-specific behavioral phenotypes.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Symons
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: I D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Feurer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011218:Prader-Willi Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000145:classification*