Self-injury and the treatment gap: An interdisciplinary exploration of beliefs about causal variables and treatment goals among caregivers, researchers, and clinicians.

Abstract

Introduction: There is a gap between individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who need treatment for self-injurious behavior (SIB) and those who receive it. One contributing factor may be a multiplicity of beliefs about the nature of SIB and its treatment.

Methods: Using reflexive thematic analysis, we interviewed and integrated two knowledge sources: the perspectives of family caregivers for individuals with SIB and IDD and the perspectives of clinicians and researchers who treat and study self-injury.

Results: We present results from two primary belief categories: perceptions of causal variables and treatment goals.

Conclusion: By contextualizing the current paradigms of research and practice in self-injury as siloed depending on whether an individual does or does not have IDD, we discuss ways to deepen our understanding of the process of treatment provision for self-injurious behavior to inform efforts to close the treatment gap.