Child and Family Characteristics as Predictors of the Severity of Self-injurious Behaviours in Autistic Children and Adolescents

PURPOSE: Autistic children demonstrate an increased likelihood of self-injurious behaviours (SIB). To support autistic individuals who exhibit SIB and understand the factors that contribute to SIB, we examined several child and family characteristics associated with the severity of SIB. METHOD: This study used a sample of 594 autistic children, aged 17 and under from the Australian Autism Biobank. As well as data on reported SIBs, we considered child variables (e.g., adaptive functioning), parental variables (e.g., autism traits and mental health), and sociodemographic variables (e.g., parental education and income). We reported the presence and frequency of different types of SIB within the sample, and performed correlational and hierarchical regression analysis to identify predictors of the severity of SIB. RESULTS: The significant predictors identified in the final hierarchical regression for SIB were greater sensory avoidance, sleep disturbances, maternal depression, and lower levels of parental education. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the under-researched role of parent and socioeconomic factors in understanding and reducing SIB within the autistic population.