Persistence of self-injury, aggression and property destruction in children and adults with tuberous sclerosis complex

TY - JOUR

T1 - Persistence of self-injury, aggression and property destruction in children and adults with tuberous sclerosis complex

AU - Wilde, L

AU - Wade, K

AU - Eden, K

AU - Moss, J

AU - de Vries, P J

AU - Oliver, C

N1 - © 2018 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2018/2/8

Y1 - 2018/2/8

N2 - BACKGROUND: Individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are at increased risk of developing self-injurious behaviour. The persistence of this deleterious behaviour over years is reported in aetiologically heterogeneous samples to be between 60% and 80% but is unknown for TSC.METHOD: In this study, we determined the 3-year persistence of self-injury in a sample (n = 52) of children (with and without ID) and adults (with ID) with TSC and examined characteristics associated with persistence.RESULTS: Findings for self-injury were contrasted to those for aggression and property destruction to examine the specificity of results to this behaviour. Self-injury was persistent in 84.6% of those with TSC who showed this behaviour, in contrast to 66.7% both for aggression and destruction. Persistent self-injury was associated with poor self-help skills, greater overactivity/impulsivity and more behavioural indicators of pain. These latter two characteristics were also associated with persistent aggression. No characteristics were associated with persistence of property destruction.CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that self-injurious behaviours in individuals with TSC, together with aggressive and destructive behaviours, are highly persistent and would benefit from targeted intervention. Poor adaptive skills, overactivity/impulsivity and painful health conditions may differentiate those at most risk for persistent self-injury or aggression.

AB - BACKGROUND: Individuals with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are at increased risk of developing self-injurious behaviour. The persistence of this deleterious behaviour over years is reported in aetiologically heterogeneous samples to be between 60% and 80% but is unknown for TSC.METHOD: In this study, we determined the 3-year persistence of self-injury in a sample (n = 52) of children (with and without ID) and adults (with ID) with TSC and examined characteristics associated with persistence.RESULTS: Findings for self-injury were contrasted to those for aggression and property destruction to examine the specificity of results to this behaviour. Self-injury was persistent in 84.6% of those with TSC who showed this behaviour, in contrast to 66.7% both for aggression and destruction. Persistent self-injury was associated with poor self-help skills, greater overactivity/impulsivity and more behavioural indicators of pain. These latter two characteristics were also associated with persistent aggression. No characteristics were associated with persistence of property destruction.CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that self-injurious behaviours in individuals with TSC, together with aggressive and destructive behaviours, are highly persistent and would benefit from targeted intervention. Poor adaptive skills, overactivity/impulsivity and painful health conditions may differentiate those at most risk for persistent self-injury or aggression.

U2 - 10.1111/jir.12472

DO - 10.1111/jir.12472

M3 - Article

JO - Journal of Intellectual Disability Research

JF - Journal of Intellectual Disability Research

SN - 0964-2633

ER -