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Self-injurious behaviour: early characterisation, development and intervention

April 10, 2025 from 2:00 pm to 3:20 pm

Our understanding of self-injurious behaviour (SIB) has advanced significantly over the last 50 years. However, despite theoretical and methodological breakthroughs, there remain a number of fundamental questions that require empirical answers in order to improve SIB outcomes for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Specifically, there is a need to generate robust data on the early aetiology and precursors of SIB, to identify developmental correlates and risk factors that drive the frequency and severity of SIB and to translate these data into real-world clinical interventions that can be delivered early in children’s developmental trajectories. Our symposium presents four papers that target these questions, with a clear focus on early characterisation, development and intervention, in an effort to further collaborative approaches to reduce the prevalence and impact of SIB for children with neurodevelopmental conditions.

Chair: Caroline Richards, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham,

Discussant: Frank Symons, University of Minnesota

First Presentation: Proto self-injurious behavior in young children with and without Down syndrome
Emma Worthley, University of Minnesota, Phuong Tran, University of Minnesota
Kelly N. Botteron, Washington University in St. Louis
Stephen R. Dager, University of Washington
Jed T. Elison, University of Minnesota
Annette M. Estes, University of Washington
Rebecca Grzadzinski, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Heather C. Hazlett, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Robert T. Schulz, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, University of Alberta
Natasha N. Marrus, Washington University in St. Louis
Joseph Piven, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
John R. Pruett Jr., Washington University in St. Louis
Jason J. Wolff, University of Minnesota
IBIS Network

Second Presentation: Self-Injury and developmental profiles in a sample of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities
Jaclyn Gunderson, Mayo Clinic, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Rochester MN, Breanne Byiers, University of Minnesota
Andrea Huebner, Mayo Clinic, Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Rochester MN
Frank Symons, University of Minnesota

Third Presentation: Prospective characterization of age-related changes in self-injurious behavior in a sample of children with global developmental delay
Breanne Byiers, University of Minnesota,

Fourth Presentation: Assessing the feasibility of the i-KNOW (identifying and knowing about behaviour) preventive intervention programme for individuals at high risk for behaviours that challenge
Lauren Walters, University of Birmingham, Williams, C., School of Psychology, University of Birmingham and Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
Groves, L ., Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
Allen, D ., University of Wolverhampton
Bain, D., Birmingham Community Foundation Healthcare Trust, Birmingham, UK
Cooper, V., The Challenging Behaviour Foundation, Kent, UK
Daniel, L., Forward Thinking Birmingham, Birmingham UK
Garstang, J., Birmingham Community Foundation Healthcare Trust, Birmingham, UK
Jones, C., School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Kaur, K., School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Khan, A., School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Liew, A ., South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
McCleery, J ., Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support, Saint Joseph’s University
Oliver, C., School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Rose, J., School of Psychology, University of Birmingham
Simkiss, D13., Birmingham Community Foundation Healthcare Trust, Birmingham, UK
Richards, C., School of Psychology, University of Birmingham