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Self-Injurious Behavior in Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Conditions

  • Examines self-injurious behaviour in individuals with various neurodevelopmental conditions
  • Offers a detailed biobehavioural guide to assessment and intervention
  • Describes an integrated research-based model for individualized treatment of self-injury
  • Presents case studies to demonstrate clinical implications of research findings
  • Discusses early intervention and stratified treatment, including algorithms and care pathways

Part of the book series: Autism and Child Psychopathology Series (ACPS)

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xv
  2. Conceptualization and Taxonomy of Self-Injurious Behavior

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 1-18
  3. Phenomenology and Natural History of Self-Injurious Behavior

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 19-50
  4. Neurobiology of Self-Injurious Behavior

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 51-110
  5. Ethical and Practical Issues in Working with People Who Self-Injure

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 111-133
  6. Assessment of Self-Injurious Behavior

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 135-193
  7. Intervention with Self-Injurious Behavior

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 195-259
  8. Assessment and Intervention with Self-Restraint

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 261-279
  9. Self-Injurious Behavior in Persons with Autism Spectrum Conditions

    • Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas
    Pages 281-311
  10. Back Matter

    Pages 333-341

About this book

This book addresses self-injurious behavior (SIB) in individuals with various neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs). It takes a cross-NDC perspective that synthesizes recent research on variability in incidence and presentation across NDCs and the natural history and neurobiology of SIB. Chapters examine implications for biobehavioral definitions of subtypes of SIB and provide a detailed guide to assessment and intervention using an integrated research-based model for individualized treatment. In addition, chapters present a practice-focused structure using case studies to illustrate clinical implications of research findings. The book concludes with a discussion of current directions in research and their potential to guide innovation in prevention and treatment of SIB.


Topics featured in this handbook include:

·         Self-restraint among individuals who self-injure.

·         Self-injurious behavior in individuals with autism spectrum conditions.

·         Assessing and managing short-term effects of SIB.

·         Reducing risk of, and responding to, relapse following successful intervention with SIB.

·         Ethical issues associated with working with people who engage in self-injurious behaviors.



Self-Injurious Behavior in Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Conditions is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians and practitioners as well as graduate students in the fields of clinical child and school psychology, applied behavior analysis, pediatrics, social work, developmental psychology, behavioral therapy/rehabilitation, child and adolescent psychiatry, clinical psychology and psychiatry of adult intellectual disability, and special education.

Authors and Affiliations

  • George Davies Centre, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK

    Frederick Furniss

  • University of Leicester, Leicester, UK

    Asit B. Biswas

About the authors

Frederick Furniss, M.A., Ph.D., is an honorary clinical psychology teacher with the University of Leicester, U.K. He has more than 35 years of experience as a clinical psychologist working with children and adults with neurodevelopmental conditions, including extensive experience of assessment and intervention with people engaging in severe self-injury in both community and residential care settings. His clinical and research interests include assessment and intervention with self-injurious and restricted and repetitive behaviors and the relationships between cognitive and behavioral phenotypes in neurodevelopmental conditions.

Asit B. Biswas, M.D., FRCPsych, MMedSci, DPM, is a Consultant Psychiatrist with the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust specializing in the assessment and management of autism, ADHD, and challenging behavior in people with intellectual disabilities, having worked with the UK National Health Service for more than 28 years. He is also an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Leicester, U.K., and was past Chair of the Specialty Advisory Committee (Intellectual Disability Faculty, Royal College of Psychiatrists) responsible for curriculum development, and design of assessment structures and training pathways, for both Core and Higher specialist training in the Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability for doctors working towards completion of training to work as Consultants in this subspeciality in the UK. He has previously held the role of Training Programme Director in Psychiatry of Learning Disability at the East Midlands deanery. His clinical and research interests include management of challenging behavior, such as self-injurious behavior and aggression, in people with intellectual disability, autism and ADHD. He was a Principal Investigator for a recently completed project evaluating the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Positive Behaviour Support for people with learning disabilityand challenging behavior funded by the U.K. National Institute of Health Research. He is currently the Vice-Chair of the Intellectual Disability Psychiatry Faculty, Royal College of Psychiatrists, London.


Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Self-Injurious Behavior in Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Conditions

  • Authors: Frederick Furniss, Asit B. Biswas

  • Series Title: Autism and Child Psychopathology Series

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36016-0

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science and Psychology, Behavioral Science and Psychology (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-36015-3Published: 31 January 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-36018-4Published: 31 January 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-36016-0Published: 30 January 2020

  • Series ISSN: 2192-922X

  • Series E-ISSN: 2192-9238

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XV, 341

  • Number of Illustrations: 13 b/w illustrations, 3 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Child and School Psychology, Pediatrics, Social Work

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access