Examining the Relationship between Self Injurious Behavior and Medical Conditions in People with Profound Autism

Self-injurious behaviors such as headbanging, scratching, and biting are common in individuals with profound autism but are poorly understood. Some of these behaviors may be responses to pain or discomfort caused by a pre-existing medical condition or unmet medical need, but this is difficult to assess in those with a limited ability to communicate. As a consequence, the medical needs of people with profound autism may not always be identified through routine healthcare visits.  Working with a large residential and day program service provider, this study will examine the relationship between medical conditions and self-injurious behaviors, and determine whether interventions addressing medical conditions could alleviate self-injurious behaviors. This project will also assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a new protocol designed to facilitate successful healthcare visits for people with profound autism.