The origin and developmental course of stereotypic and self-injurious behaviour among individuals with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability (ID) or pervasive development disorders such as autism is not well understood. Twelve studies designed to document the prevalence, nature, or development of stereotypic and/or…

Although there is an enormous amount of literature demonstrating socio-psychological determinants of suicide and self-injurious behaviour among adults or clinical samples of children and adolescents, there is a scarcity of studies focussing on non-clinical adolescent samples. The current study examined associations between self-reported data on…

A variety of variables have been found to augment perceived social validity of behavioral interventions. In the present study, potential effects of behavioral function were evaluated. Sixty students inexperienced in work with people with mental retardation, and 60 experienced staff watched one of two carefully matched acted videos depicting…

We examined the effects of an individualized schedule on levels of engagement and self-injury for a student with severe autism. We first conducted a series of functional analyses to identify contexts in which self-injury occurred in his classroom. Results of the functional analyses suggested that self-injury was associated with academic demands.…

We evaluated the influence of child location on the occurrence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) during functional analyses conducted in home settings. An initial functional analysis conducted with 2 children who had developmental disabilities showed undifferentiated patterns of SIB. Analyses of behavior during free play suggested that the child's…

Many risks for suicidal behavior, identified in population samples, are elevated in justice youth. We examined whether risks operate similarly in a justice sample. We measured suicidal behavior and disorder on the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children in 991 randomly selected youths, and examined associations between demographic, offense, and…

School youth have been increasingly involved in the dangerous abuse of volatile inhalants. The basic reason to inhale substances is to reach an altered state of consciousness. The 12-17 and 18-25-year-old age groups had the highest rates of inhalant abuse in 1993. Among eighth graders, almost one in five (19%) said they have used inhalants and 5%…

This book was designed to answer the question, "What should schools do to minimize the likelihood of student suicide?" Written by professionals representing the fields of law, psychology, and education, the legal portion of the book addresses the issue of what should be done, the psychological section on what is to be done, and the…

Many schools have been dealing with youth suicide and other death-related issues. From the experiences of the schools and other community organizations have emerged workable practices and procedures which can be implemented for general use. Schools can now develop and implement comprehensive plans to deal with death issues using a variety of…

There appears to be a tendency for people who have not been victimized by negative life events to perceive themselves as less vulnerable to victimization than others. Research has revealed this unrealistic optimism in risk perception. A study on rationales for risky behaviors was conducted to identify reasons other than this illusion of…

The pilot study focused on the effective design of adaptive biofeedback equipment for use in the control of self-mutilating behaviors in individuals with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, typically characterized by apasticity, mental retardation, and violent biting of the lips and fingers. Utilizing an electromyographic (EMG) monitor and a custom-designed…

The perception of death gradually develops in a child's mind, reaching maturity at about 8 or 9 years of age. A mature death concept usually means a definition which includes the perception of death as a natural process, its finality, its irreversibility, and its universality. A study was undertaken to improve knowledge about the death concept.…

This guide, in two sections, emphasizes a community-based, school-focused collaborative approach to preventing youth suicide in Wisconsin. Cooperative school district and community agency endeavors frame the approach. The following three-part philosophy undergirds it: First, youth suicide is a community problem requiring a community solution best…

This paper cites studies on the interaction of depression and learning disability, examines the question of whether depression is a result or a cause of learning disability, emphasizes the importance of proper diagnosis of depression versus learning disability, and reviews the incidence of suicide-related events among the learning-disabled.…

To deal with rising teen suicide and attempted suicide, this Michigan school system developed a comprehensive crisis response plan encouraging greater communication with students, parents, and school staff members and involving immediate response by trained professionals and followup procedures to stabilize the school community. (WTH)