The DOI matches its Crossref record; 100 of the 101 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Prevalence of Self-injurious Behaviour in Autism: A Meta-analytic Study
Open accessAbstract
Self-injurious behaviour is purportedly common in autism, but prevalence rates have not yet been synthesised meta-analytically. In the present study, data from 14,379 participants in thirty-seven papers were analysed to generate a pooled prevalence estimate of self-injury in autism of 42% (confidence intervals 0.38–0.47). Hand-hitting topography was the most common form of self-injury (23%), self-cutting topography the least common (3%). Sub-group analyses revealed no association between study quality, participant intellectual disability or age and overall prevalence rate of self-injury. However, females obtained higher prevalence rates than males ( p = .013) and hair pulling and self-scratching were associated with intellectual disability ( p = .008 and p = .002, respectively). The results confirm very high rates of self-injury in autism and highlight within group risk-markers.
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“A recent meta-study reported that prevalence rates of SIB in the ASD population may be as high as 42% [121].”
From Pharmacological treatment in autism: a proposal for guidelines on common co-occurring psychiatric symptoms (2025) · cites this paper as [121]
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“A meta-analysis including 37 studies revealed a prevalence of self-harm of 42% in autistic individuals, irrespective of age and the presence or the absence of intellectual disability (ID) (Steenfeldt-Kristensen 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 Steenfeldt-Kristensen et al., 2020
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“Behaviors such as impulsivity and/or inattention can be contributing factors for injuries and unintentional incidents in children with ASD/ADHD.58,59”
From Mortality in Persons With Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (2022) · cites this paper as [58]
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Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement
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Metadata
- Authors
- Steenfeldt-Kristensen, C., Jones, C. A., & Richards, C.
- Affiliations
- Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (GB)
- University of Birmingham (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Richards, Caroline
- Venue
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Published
- 2020-04-15
- Volume
- 50
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 3857-3873
- ISSN
- 0162-3257 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3432
- PMC
- PMC7557528
- OpenAlex
- W3016276573
- Cited by
- 150
- References
- 101
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 27 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4
- FWCI
- 2.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Keywords
- self-harm, autism spectrum disorder, prevalence, self-cutting, intellectual disability, sex differences, hair pulling, risk indicators
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Autistic Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Intellectual Disability, Prevalence, Self-Injurious Behavior
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