Comparison of Autistic Individuals Who Engage in Self-Injurious Behavior, Aggression, and Both Behaviors

[Differences in self-harm among adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder: a gender-based approach]

INTRODUCTION

Self-harm in children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) poses risks to their physical well-being, negatively impacts their quality of life and that of their families, and presents challenges to their integration into school and social environments. This study aimed to investigate possible differences in terms of gender between adolescents and young adults with autism admitted to the neurodevelopmental unit of ITA Argentona due to non-suicidal self-harming behaviour.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A sample of 50 patients with ASD, whose ages ranged from 14 to 27 years, who were treated in the ITA Argentona neurodevelopmental unit. The methodology adopted consisted of a non-causal correlational cross-sectional study, for which the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, second edition, and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised were administered, as well as the Inventory of Statements About Self-injury.

RESULTS

The results obtained revealed significant and positive correlations between sex and certain types of self-harm (burning, pulling hair and carving) and the motivations or functions that the participants report for engaging in non-suicidal self-harm.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the study concluded that there is no substantially greater likelihood of one sex in particular engaging non-suicidal self-harm, significant differences were identified in terms of the specific types of self-harm, and the motivations or functions associated with these non-suicidal self-harming behaviours.

Predictors of Aggression, Disruptive Behavior, and Anger Dysregulation in Youths with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience difficulties related to aggression, disruptive behavior, and regulation of emotions that precipitate these behaviors (i.e., anger). The extent to which aggression, disruptive behaviors, and anger dysregulation are correlated with distinct or overlapping factors has not yet been explored. The present study examined whether aspects of participant demographics, individual youth functioning, caregiver stress, and family warmth contributed to youth aggression, disruptive behavior, and anger dysregulation. Participants were caregivers of 511 youths with ASD. Analyses revealed that significant proportions of variance in aggression, disruptive behaviors, and anger dysregulation were accounted for by shared variables pertaining to demographics, the individual youth, and caregiver stress. Implications of treatment and future research are discussed.

Predicting Problematic Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Medical History and Environmental Data

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by social, communication, and behavioral abnormalities, affects 1 in 36 children according to the CDC. Several co-occurring conditions are often associated with ASD, including sleep and immune disorders and gastrointestinal (GI) problems. ASD is also associated with sensory sensitivities. Some individuals with ASD exhibit episodes of challenging behaviors that can endanger themselves or others, including aggression and self-injurious behavior (SIB). In this work, we explored the use of artificial intelligence models to predict behavior episodes based on past data of co-occurring conditions and environmental factors for 80 individuals in a residential setting. We found that our models predict occurrences of behavior and non-behavior with accuracies as high as 90% for some individuals, and that environmental, as well as gastrointestinal, factors are notable predictors across the population examined. While more work is needed to examine the underlying connections between the factors and the behaviors, having reasonably accurate predictions for behaviors has the potential to improve the quality of life of some individuals with ASD.

Understanding Challenging Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Multi-Component, Interdisciplinary Model

A multi-component, interdisciplinary model is described which explains the presence of, and in other cases the lack of, many challenging behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). More specifically, the model expands the operant behavioral conditioning paradigm by taking into account medical comorbidities and interoceptive processing.

Evidence from Characteristics and Comorbidities Suggesting That Asperger Syndrome Is a Subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current version of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) does not consider Asperger syndrome a diagnostic category. This study was undertaken to see if there is evidence that this diagnosis should be reinstated. An online survey was conducted to examine symptoms and behaviors associated with the current diagnostic criteria of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (DSM-V), and those associated with Asperger syndrome based on the previous version (DSM-IV-TR). The study also examined other characteristics historically associated with autism, as well as impairments often reported in infancy/young childhood and medical comorbidities frequently associated with autism. The sample included 251 individuals who had received a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and 1888 who were diagnosed with autism or ASD. Numerous similarities and differences were found between the two groups. The findings are discussed in relation to reestablishing Asperger syndrome as a valid diagnostic category as well as a subtype of ASD.