TY - JOUR
T1 - The evolution of self-injurious behaviors in people with intellectual disability and epilepsy
T2 - A follow-up study
AU - Buono, Serafino
AU - Zagaria, Tommasa
AU - Recupero, Marilena
AU - Elia, Maurizio
AU - Kerr, Mike
AU - Di Nuovo, Santo
AU - Ferri, Raffaele
N1 - Funding Information:
The study was funded by the Italian Ministry of Health – Ricerca Corrente 2013 and 2019 .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 British Epilepsy Association
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Purpose: Longitudinal studies of the evolution of Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIBs) in people with Intellectual Disability (ID) and epilepsy are not common. This study aimed to analyze the evolution (in terms of remission and persistence) and changes in the type, localization, frequency, and intensity of SIBs. Methods: SIBs were assessed in a sample of 52 people with ID and epilepsy, and re-evaluated after a seven-year interval, using the “Scale for the Assessment of Self-Injurious Behaviors”. The scale was administered to caregivers (parents or health professionals) through a semi-structured interview conducted by a specifically trained psychologist. Results: The most frequent types of SIBs identified were: self-biting, self-hitting with objects, self-hitting with hand, object-finger in cavities. The main localizations of SIBs were: hands, mouth, head and cheeks. SIBs were found to be maintained after seven years, for type, localization, frequency, and intensity, in 90.4% of the sample. SIB types were stable over time, as were the affected areas. Global SIB frequency and intensity scores were found to be unchanged. Finally, a positive correlation was found between the frequency of SIBs and levels of intellectual disability. SIBs (frequency and intensity) and seizure frequency showed no correlation. Conclusion: Given the negative impact of SIBs on the adaptation and quality of life of people with ID and epilepsy, we believe that further studies on biological, psychological and environmental aspects are needed in order to identify any potential factors that might explain the persistence of SIBs and to find effective interventions to reduce them.
AB - Purpose: Longitudinal studies of the evolution of Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIBs) in people with Intellectual Disability (ID) and epilepsy are not common. This study aimed to analyze the evolution (in terms of remission and persistence) and changes in the type, localization, frequency, and intensity of SIBs. Methods: SIBs were assessed in a sample of 52 people with ID and epilepsy, and re-evaluated after a seven-year interval, using the “Scale for the Assessment of Self-Injurious Behaviors”. The scale was administered to caregivers (parents or health professionals) through a semi-structured interview conducted by a specifically trained psychologist. Results: The most frequent types of SIBs identified were: self-biting, self-hitting with objects, self-hitting with hand, object-finger in cavities. The main localizations of SIBs were: hands, mouth, head and cheeks. SIBs were found to be maintained after seven years, for type, localization, frequency, and intensity, in 90.4% of the sample. SIB types were stable over time, as were the affected areas. Global SIB frequency and intensity scores were found to be unchanged. Finally, a positive correlation was found between the frequency of SIBs and levels of intellectual disability. SIBs (frequency and intensity) and seizure frequency showed no correlation. Conclusion: Given the negative impact of SIBs on the adaptation and quality of life of people with ID and epilepsy, we believe that further studies on biological, psychological and environmental aspects are needed in order to identify any potential factors that might explain the persistence of SIBs and to find effective interventions to reduce them.
KW - Epilepsy
KW - Intellectual disability
KW - Longitudinal evolution of SIBs
KW - Self-injurious behaviors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092354969&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85092354969&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.seizure.2020.09.009
DO - 10.1016/j.seizure.2020.09.009
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85092354969
VL - 82
SP - 99
EP - 104
JO - Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association
JF - Seizure : the journal of the British Epilepsy Association
SN - 1059-1311
ER -