Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are considered to be among the most serious of the mental health conditions. Concomitant with many cases of ASD is intellectual disability. Further compounding the disability is the fact that both conditions are known risk factors for self-injurious behavior (SIB). To date, the most effective intervention methods,…

The purpose of the current study was to gather data on the attitudes and smoking habits of university students. Data were collected from 250 undergraduates dealing with various aspects of smoking behavior. There were 80 smokers and 170 nonsmokers, including 21 former smokers. In addition to demographic information, participants were assessed with…

An Internet-based survey about dating violence and self-injury was completed by 1,777 undergraduates. A regression analysis tested if recent dating violence victimization and perpetration experiences predicted whether participants self-injured in the past 90 days, after controlling for demographic variables and attitudes toward self-injury and…

Notes that the many forms of suicidal phenomena (contemplated, attempted, and completed suicide) present significant problems to researchers and practitioners. Reviews theoretical and empirical efforts to define types of suicidal individuals and attempts to integrate them by means of higher-order categories of variables: (1) descriptive; (2)…

We evaluated the effects of systematic application and removal of protective equipment on three topographies of self-injurious behavior (SIB) exhibited by a girl who had been diagnosed with autism. Results showed that when protective equipment was applied, SIB decreased to near-zero levels. In addition, withdrawal of protective equipment for…

The transition from high school to college is an important developmental milestone that holds the potential for personal growth and behavioral change. A cohort of 2,245 students was recruited during the summer before they matriculated into college and completed Internet-based surveys about their participation in a variety of behavioral risks…

Elaborating on previous studies on emotion regulation and deliberate self-harm (DSH), in the present study we distinguish between strategies of cognitive content (e.g., suicidal cognitions of perceived burdensomeness, helplessness, poor distress tolerance) and cognitive process (e.g., nonacceptance of emotional responses, lack of awareness of…

This pilot study examined the utility of acceptance-enhanced behavior therapy (AEBT) for trichotillomania (TTM) and chronic skin picking (CSP) and the impact of altering treatment sequence on overall treatment efficacy. Participants referred to a TTM and CSP specialty clinic were assessed by an independent evaluator within separate, nonconcurrent,…

It has been suggested that people engage in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) because they (a) experience heightened physiological arousal following stressful events and use NSSI to regulate experienced distress and (b) have deficits in their social problem-solving skills that interfere with the performance of more adaptive social responses. However,…

The effects of multiple instructional conditions on self-injury/aggression and on-task behaviours were assessed with a 9-year-old boy diagnosed with childhood disintegrative disorder. Behavioural responses were assessed as part of an educational evaluation to determine the occurrence of target behaviours in relation to varying degrees of…

Background: Individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) are at increased risk for mental health and behaviour problems, such as skin-picking and compulsive behaviours. Prevalence and functional assessment of skin-picking, and its association with compulsive behaviour and self-injury, were investigated in a large group of individuals with PWS (n =…

The authors developed the Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Interview (SITBI) and evaluated its psychometric properties. The SITBI is a structured interview that assesses the presence, frequency, and characteristics of a wide range of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, including suicidal ideation, suicide plans, suicide gestures, suicide…

A growing number of students presenting with nonlethal self-injury has recently captured the attention of school nurses. The purpose of intentional self-harm is aimed at reducing emotional distress. This is not a new phenomenon, but what is alarming is the increasing incidence of self-injurious behavior among adolescents. This behavior is raising…

Suicide in prisons has been seen as a public health concern reaching crisis proportions around the world. In this study, data from 60 inmates in a South Australian remand facility were used to examine the relationship between loneliness and known predictors of self-harm, such as depression and hopelessness. As predicted, the results suggested that…

Background: Challenging behaviours in people with an intellectual disability (ID) often develop early and tend to persist throughout life. This study presents data on the chronicity of challenging behaviours in adults with ID over a period of 11 years, and explores the characteristics of people with persistent serious behaviour problems. Method:…