Psychological interventions in self-injurious behaviour. Working with people with a learning disability.

BACKGROUND

Psychological approaches to working with people with learning disabilities who self-injury have developed over the past 30 years.

METHOD

The major literature is reviewed and an ecological framework is described which emphasises the importance of environmental, interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics to understanding the multi-factorial nature of self-injury. Case examples are given.

RESULTS

Self-injury is seen as essentially communicative and functionally adaptive; it is the person's best attempt to deal with abusive, neglecting or traumatic environments or events.

CONCLUSIONS

The persistence of self-injurious behaviour once established, requires an interdisciplinary approach which addresses comprehensively the variety of factors which have contributed to the development and maintenance of self-injury.