Self-injury and the Treatment Gap: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Beliefs About Causal Variables and Treatment Goals Among Caregivers, Researchers, and Clinicians

New

Description

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.

Suggested Citation

Roberts, C. L., Larsh, M., & Symons, F. (2024). Self-Injury and the Treatment Gap: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Beliefs About Causal Variables and Treatment Goals Among Caregivers, Researchers, and Clinicians. Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2024.2424744

Details

Date
2024 
Type
Peer-Reviewed Article 
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Online

Topics

  • Health and safety
    • Health and wellness