Self Injurious Behaviour and Autism

Personal Accounts

We have yet to identify any personal accounts of self injurious behaviour in people on the autism spectrum. However, Heslop and MacCauley (2009) undertook a study of self harm /self injury in people with learning disabilities for the Bristol Crisis Service for Women. This qualitative study was based on interviews with a small number of people with learning disabilities and parents/carers, including three people on the autism spectrum. The findings should therefore be treated with caution. However this study found that people with learning disabilities self injure/self harm if

• they feel they are not listened to 
• they have been told off
• they have little or no choice about things
• they have been bullied 
• they are involved in arguments, or hear other people arguing 
• they are feeling unwell
• they have memories of a bereavement
• they have memories of abuse.

Updated

02 Nov 2017