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Background: Historically, the research and treatment of self-injury has been disciplinarily siloed. As a result, the behaviour is understood and treated differently among individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. We explore the potential for an interdisciplinary research and practice agenda in self-injury. Method: We conducted 10 focus groups with experts in self-injury and analysed discussions that resulted from the question: "What is the role of interdisciplinarity in the study and treatment of self-injury?" Results: Through a reflexive thematic analysis we came up with actionable and positively-oriented themes: Interdisciplinarity at the Individual Level, Context of Needed Systems-Level Change, Highlighting Workforce Support, Strategic Use of Implementation and Dissemination Science, and The Pursuit of Integration. Each theme includes several subthemes that describe specific strategies. Conclusions: An interdisciplinary approach is not only possible but worthwhile and would be particularly beneficial to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities engaging in self-injurious behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionMethodsResultsConclusionThere 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.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.We present results from two primary belief categories: perceptions of causal variables and treatment goals.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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There is evidence of a gap between individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who need treatment for self-injurious behavior (SIB) and those who receive treatment. The purpose of this study (n = 15) was to begin to understand the treatment gap from the perspective of family caregivers. Methods: In semi-structured virtual interviews, family caregivers discussed their experiences of working with providers to treat their family member's self-injury. Through a systematic process of quasi-inductive thematic analysis, researchers transcribed and analyzed the interviews and developed a working model of treatment pathways. Results: Caregivers described many barriers to treatment access. Themes include Caregiver Driven, Importance of the Provider-Caregiver Relationship, Beliefs and Perceptions about SIB, Practical Constraints, Knowledge Gaps, and Wait Until Crisis. Conclusion: The findings highlight the power of providers to support families coping with SIB in IDD. Specific ways providers can better facilitate treatment access are suggested. Future research directions should include provider interviews and focus groups and, ultimately, the development of interventions that consider access pathways as a key feature of any effective treatment plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual review paper takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of self‐injury in families. The overall goal is to begin integrating siloed bodies of knowledge from empirical work based on findings from individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities and self‐injury. The research literature on self‐injury and family‐level variables is reviewed, including dyadic and individual‐level variables with potential bidirectional impact on the family. Then, opportunities for knowledge translation are explored with respect to the pragmatic goal of developing family‐level interventions for self‐injurious behavior in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Four opportunities for knowledge translation are highlighted: family patterns, parenting behavior, attachment relationships, and emotional experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]