Self-harm among adolescents with developmental disabilities. What are they trying to tell us?
Self-harm behavior exhibited by adolescents with developmental disabilities can be the most challenging behavior for caregivers and health care professionals to address. Past interventions have taken a behavioral approach and focused on functional analysis to guide assessment and treatment. However, self-harm behavior is becoming more recognized as a means of communication. Therefore, it is important for health care professionals and caregivers to listen to adolescents' attempts to communicate and try to understand the meaning of the behavior. Early assessment is crucial to understanding the meaning of the behavior, and early intervention is necessary to prevent escalation or chronicity. Thorough assessment guides interventions and must be implemented in the context of clients' families and social world, and the broader community. Establishment of trusting relationships among adolescents, their families, and health care professionals is imperative. This article discusses self-harm behavior from a psychosocial perspective related to prevalence, onset, purpose, maintenance, and escalation. It also introduces a comprehensive framework to guide assessment and intervention.
Murray
Lee
L
College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, 107 Wiggins Road, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. lee.murray@usask.ca
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy