Self-injurious behaviours and mental health in autistic adults with severe intellectual disabilities: An explorative clinical study

BACKGROUND: Self-injurious behaviour (SIB) is a serious and persistent phenomenon affecting a substantial proportion of autistic individuals. Autistic individuals with severe intellectual disabilities and co-occurring mental health disorders may be at increased risk of engaging in SIB. However, knowledge is limited concerning the relationship between mental health and SIB in this population. METHODS: Multimodal, comprehensive mental health assessments of 10 autistic adults with severe intellectual disabilities and severe and persistent SIB were conducted, following current recommendations and including multiple assessment tools. RESULTS: All participants were diagnosed with a mental health disorder. While all participants had displayed SIB for decades (M = 22.80 years), for 8/10 participants, co-occurring mental health disorders had not been previously assessed or diagnosed. CONCLUSION: Persistent SIB in autistic people with severe intellectual disabilities may be associated with unmet mental health needs. These results highlight the importance of conducting comprehensive mental health assessments in these individuals.