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Early development of stereotyped and self-injurious behaviors: II. Age trends
1Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Chicago, IL 60607, USA. gberkson@uic.edu
Insights
Stereotyped behaviors in infants receiving early intervention develop and decline slower than in typical infants. Body-rocking may stem from motor development, not promote it.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Behavioral Science
Background:
- Infants in early intervention programs sometimes exhibit stereotyped or self-injurious behaviors.
- Understanding the developmental trajectory of these behaviors is crucial for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the developmental course of stereotyped and self-injurious behaviors in infants.
- To investigate the relationship between body-rocking and motor development.
- To explore potential triggers or functions of specific behaviors like head-banging and eye-poking.
Main Methods:
- Weekly assessments of 39 infants from program entry until 3 years of age.
- Longitudinal observation of stereotyped and self-injurious behaviors.
- Analysis of behavior development in relation to age and motor milestones.
Main Results:
- Behaviors developed and declined more slowly compared to typical infants.
- Some children retained behaviors throughout their program participation.
- Body-rocking was not found to promote motor development; it may be a consequence of it.
- Head-banging correlated with tantrums; eye-poking appeared self-stimulatory.
Conclusions:
- Stereotyped and self-injurious behaviors have a prolonged developmental course in some infants in early intervention.
- The function of body-rocking may be linked to motor development.
- Specific behaviors may serve different functions, requiring tailored early treatment strategies.
Abstract:
Thirty-nine infants who were served in early intervention programs and who engaged in stereotyped or self-injurious behaviors were studied weekly from the time they entered the school until they were 3 years old. The development of these behaviors increased and declined over age more slowly than in typical babies. A few children retained the behaviors for long periods, and some were still showing them when they left the program. The hypothesis that body-rocking promotes motor development was not supported. Indeed, body-rocking may be a consequence of motor development. Head-banging seemed to be related to tantrums, whereas eye-poking developed early and seemed to be self-stimulatory. Suggestions for early treatment are presented.