title: Stereotyped behaviours as precursors of self-injurious behaviours: a longitudinal study with infants and toddlers at risk for developmental delay.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The notion that stereotypic behaviours may be precursors of self-injurious behaviour (SIB) has been considered in the past, but the available empirical evidence is still inconsistent and ambiguous.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a longitudinal study, we collected data on stereotypic behaviour and SIB from 160 infants and toddlers who were at-risk for developmental delay. Interviews were conducted with parents at three time points during a one-year span using the Behaviour Problems Inventory-01 which contains subscales for SIB and stereotyped behaviour. We used growth modelling to estimate linear trends in several models. Model fit was evaluated according to a combination of fit statistics as is recommended in structural equation or latent variable modelling approaches such as latent growth modelling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In examining the relationship between stereotyped behaviours and SIB across time, the model that represented earlier stereotyped behaviour as predicting later SIB fit the data better than the other models.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings corroborate the notion that stereotyped behaviour can be a precursor of SIB. If replicated by other studies, it makes a case for considering early intervening with stereotyped behaviour as a SIB prevention strategy.
authors.affiliation: George Mason University, Psychology, Fairfax, VA, United States.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rojahn
authors.affiliation: Texas Tech University, Burkhart Center for Autism, Lubbock, TX, United States.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barnard-Brak
authors.affiliation: George Mason University, Psychology, Fairfax, VA, United States.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.affiliation: University of Kansas, Kansas University Center on Development Disabilities, Schiefelbusch Institute for Life Span Institute Lawrence, Kansas, United States.
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Schroeder
mesh_terms: D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012306:Risk; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior
keywords: challenging behaviour; proto-injurious behaviour; self-injurious behaviour; stereotyped behaviour; structural equation modelling