Self-injurious behaviour in people with mental handicap: a total population study.

This article presents information related to the self-injurious behavior in people with mental handicap. Repeated, self-inflicted, non-accidental injury (SIB) is sometimes seen in people who are not otherwise handicapped, including young children, people suffering from schizophrenia and young adults (mainly female) with psychiatric problems, some of whom are seen in prison. Although self-injurious behavior sometimes occurs in association with known mental retardation syndromes, such as Lesch Nyhan, Cornelia de Lange, Riley-Day, Prader Willi and Rett syndromes, the majority of people with mental handicap, showing SIB, have none of these syndromes.