Browsing by Subject "Itseään vahingoittava käytös"

Autism spectrum disorder is a widespread neurobiological developmental disorder that can be detected early in childhood. General features of autism spectrum disorder include learning difficulties, disorders of language development, repetitive behavior, difficulties in maintaining eye contact, and difficulties in forming social relationships. Self-injurious behavior is common in autism spectrum disorder, but it is not included in the diagnostic criteria for this disorder. This review introduces self-injurious behavior in autism spectrum disorder specifically, its prevalence, predictable risk factors, and factors that trigger and maintain the behavior. About 27.7% of those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibit self-harming behavior. The most prominent predictors are poor verbal abilities, sleep problems, autism severity, low cognitive level, stereotypical behavior, impulsivity, and atypical sensory processing. In this review, the factors that trigger and sustain self-injurious behavior, are discussed from a behavioral perspective, which is also combined with ideas of body awareness also known as interoception. According to the behavioral model, self-injurious behavior can be a learned way to avoid unpleasant tasks, communicate anxiety, discomfort, pain, frustration, or attention-seeking. The environmental response to self-injury can in turn maintain, reinforce, or weaken self-injurious behavior. The review also considers the challenging nature of the symptoms being treated and emphasizes early identification, intervention, and increasing knowledge for relatives and other caregivers.