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Cited by 45Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesAutism Spectrum Disorder ResearchChild Nutrition and Feeding Issues

Prevalence and Risk-Markers of Self-Harm in Autistic Children and Adults

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Licence, Lucy, Oliver, Chris, Moss, Jo, Richards, Caroline·2020·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOI 10.1007/s10803-019-04260-1
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Abstract

Self-harm is purportedly common in autistic individuals, but under-researched, particularly in younger samples and those without intellectual disability. This study aimed to describe prevalence, profile and correlates of self-harm in autistic individuals without impairments in adaptive functioning. Parents of autistic participants (n = 83) completed questionnaires regarding the presence/topography of self-harm, demographic characteristics, autism severity, age of diagnosis, affect, activity levels and repetitive behaviour. 24.10% of participants engaged in self-harm. Self‐harm was associated with significantly higher levels of impulsivity, over-activity, negative affect, compulsive behaviour and insistence on sameness. Low mood and overactivity/impulsivity predicted the presence of self-harm, with the model correctly classifying 82.9% of cases. Findings highlight a role for impaired behavioural inhibition and low mood in the aetiological mechanisms underpinning self-harm in autism.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s10803-019-04260-1

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  • Self-harm and suicidal behaviors are prevalent among autistic adults without intellectual disability (ID).

    “Self-harm and suicidal behaviors are prevalent among autistic adults without intellectual disability (ID).”

    From Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Autistic Adults without Intellectual Disability: A Mixed Methods Study (2022) · cites this paper as Licence et al., 2019

    The Results report self-harm in 24.1% of a sample without identified adaptive-functioning impairments, but the Participants section says only 19 of the 83 participants were adults; that figure is not an adult-specific prevalence estimate. The paper describes heightened suicidality in autistic samples in its introductory discussion, but does not establish the prevalence of suicidal behaviors specifically among autistic adults without ID. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Autistic adults are at greater risk of co-occurring psychiatric disorders, self-harm and suicidal behaviors compared to the general population.

    “Autistic adults are at greater risk of co-occurring psychiatric disorders, self-harm and suicidal behaviors compared to the general population (Hollocks et al., 2019; Licence et al., 2019; Cassidy et al., 2020; Moseley et al., 2020).”

    From Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Autistic Adults without Intellectual Disability: A Mixed Methods Study (2022) · cites this paper as Licence et al., 2019

    The introduction reports greater psychiatric-disorder risk in autistic people than in neurotypical people and describes heightened suicidality in autistic samples. The Discussion compares a 24.1% self-harm rate in its child-and-adult sample with 5–17% in neurotypical samples, and cites a high rate in autistic adults. The copy does not establish a specifically adult, general-population comparison for suicidal behaviors, so that part of the sentence is more specific than the evidence. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Recent research has highlighted high prevalence of self-harm and suicidal behaviors in this population and lack of psychological interventions aiming to address them.

    “The latter point is particularly important given that recent research has highlighted the high prevalence of self-harm and suicidal behaviors in this population and the lack of psychological interventions aiming to address them (Licence et al., 2019; Cassidy et al., 2020; Moseley et al., 2020).”

    From Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Autistic Adults without Intellectual Disability: A Mixed Methods Study (2022) · cites this paper as Licence et al., 2019

    The Discussion (page not supplied) reports a 24.1% prevalence of self-harm in the autistic sample, and the paper notes heightened suicidality in autistic people. It also describes difficulty accessing mental-health support and a shortage of trained professionals, but does not establish a lack of psychological interventions specifically aimed at self-harm or suicidal behavior. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Licence et al. (2019) reported a prevalence of self-harm of 24% in their autistic sample.

    “Consistent with these findings, more recently, Licence et al. (2019) reported a prevalence of self-harm of 24% in their autistic sample.”

    From Feasibility, Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Autistic Adults without Intellectual Disability: A Mixed Methods Study (2022) · cites this paper as Licence et al., 2019

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Cites

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1 of the 117 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. Berument, S. K., Rutter, M., Lord, C., Pickles, A., & Bailey, A. (1999b). Autism screening questionnaire: Diagnostic validity. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 175(5), 444-451.
  2. Bodfish, J. W., Crawford, T. W., Powell, S. B., Parker, D. E., Golden, R. N., & Lewis, M. H. (1995). Compulsions in adults with mental retardation: Prevelance, phenomonology, and comorbidity with stereotpy and self-injury. American Journal on Mental Retarda- tion, 100, 183-192.
  3. Dugas, M. J., & Robichaud, M. (2007). Practical clinical guidebooks. Cognitive-behavioral treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: From science to practice. New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
  4. Lewis, M. H., & Bodfish, J. W. (1998). Repetitive behavior disorders in autism. Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 4(2), 80-89.
  5. Oliver, C., Royston, R., Crawford, H., Moss, J., Waite, J., Arron, K., Burbidge, C., Ellis, K., Nelson, L., Ross, E., Russell, H. & Wel- ham, A. (In press). Informant assessments of behaviour and affect for people with intellectual disability.
  6. Singer, J. (1999). Why can't you be normal for once in your life? From a problem with no name to the emergence of a new category of difference. In M. Corker & S. French (Eds.), Disability discourse (pp. 59-70). London: Sage.
  7. Weiss, J. (2002). Self-injurious behaviors in autism: A literature review. Journal on Developmental Disabilities, 9, 129-143.

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Authors
Licence, L., Oliver, C., Moss, J., & Richards, C.
Affiliations
University of Birmingham (GB)
Corresponding author
Richards, Caroline
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2019-10-26
Volume
50
Issue
10
Pages
3561-3574
ISSN
  • 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-3432
DOI
10.1007/s10803-019-04260-1
OpenAlex
W2981707801
Cited by
45
References
117
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 3
FWCI
2.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Cerebra
  • Economic and Social Research Council
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
Keywords
self-harm, autism spectrum disorder, prevalence, risk factors, impulsivity, overactivity, negative affect, compulsive behaviour, insistence on sameness, behavioral inhibition, depressive mood, autism severity, autistic adults, children with autism
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Autistic Disorder, Child, Compulsive Behavior, Female, Humans, Impulsive Behavior, Male, Intellectual Disability, Middle Aged, Parents, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk Factors, Prevalence, Self-Injurious Behavior, Stereotypic Movement Disorder, Young Adult

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