Prevalence, phenomenology, aetiology and predictors of challenging behaviour in Smith-Magenis syndrome

BACKGROUND

The prevalence, phenomenology aetiology and correlates of four forms of challenging behaviour in 32 children and adults with Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) were investigated.

METHODS

Cognitive assessments, questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to gather data on intellectual disability, verbal and physical aggression, destructive behaviour and self-injury and on characteristics known to be associated with aggression.

RESULTS

Aggression in SMS was more prevalent (87%), but not more severe than aggression in contrast groups. Aggressive behaviour was more frequently associated with environmental contingencies (e.g. attention, escape and access to tangibles) than self-injury and destructive behaviours. Severity of challenging behaviours was associated with high impulsivity.

CONCLUSION

Aggression is seen in the majority of people with SMS. Results suggest that behavioural disinhibition and operant social reinforcement are associated with the manifestation of aggression.

Self-injurious behaviour in Cornelia de Lange syndrome: 1. Prevalence and phenomenology

BACKGROUND

Self-injurious behaviour is frequently identified as part of the behavioural phenotype of Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS). We conducted a case-control study of the prevalence and phenomenology of self-injurious behaviour (SIB) in CdLS.

METHODS

A total of 54 participants with CdLS were compared with 46 individuals who were comparable on key variables including age, degree of intellectual disability and wheelchair use, using questionnaire and observational measures.

RESULTS

Clinically significant self-injury was not more prevalent in the CdLS group (55.6%), nor was it different in presentation from that seen in the comparison group. Hyperactivity, stereotyped and compulsive behaviours predicted clinically significant self-injury in all participants. Hand directed, mild self-injury was more prevalent in CdLS.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that clinically significant self-injury may not be part of the behavioural phenotype of CdLS but a specific body target for proto-SIB is more common.

Self-injurious behaviour in Cornelia de Lange syndrome: 2. Association with environmental events

BACKGROUND

Self-injurious behaviour is commonly seen in Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS). However, there has been limited research into the aetiology of self-injury in CdLS and whether environmental factors influence the behaviour.

METHODS

We observed the self-injury of 27 individuals with CdLS and 17 participants who did not have CdLS matched for age, gender, level of intellectual disability and mobility. Descriptive analyses were used to determine the extent to which environmental events were associated with self-injury.

RESULTS

Lag sequential analysis of the association between self-injurious behaviour and environmental events revealed no differences between the two groups in terms of either the number or degree of environmental associations.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that the associations between the environment and self-injury in CdLS do not differ from those seen in the broader population of people with intellectual disability. By implication the social reinforcement hypothesis is equally applicable to both groups.

Health and sleep problems in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: a case control study

BACKGROUND

Self-injury, sleep problems and health problems are commonly reported in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) but there are no comparisons with appropriately matched participants. The relationship between these areas and comparison to a control group is warranted.

METHOD

54 individuals with CdLS were compared with 46 participants with intellectual disability (ID) of mixed aetiology who were similar in terms of degree of ID, mobility, age and gender using informant-based measures of health problems, sleep and self-injury.

RESULTS

Participants with CdLS experienced significantly more current and lifetime health problems with eye problems and gastrointestinal disorders prominent. Although 55% of those with CdLS experienced sleep problems this prevalence was not different from the comparison group. Sleep disorder was not associated with self-injury in the CdLS group, skin problems were associated with severity of self-injury but not presence.

DISCUSSION

People with CdLS experience a range of significant health problems and have more health concerns than others with the same degree of ID. Although this has been well documented in the past, the current high prevalence of health concerns indicates the need for regular health assessment and appropriate intervention.

The association between environmental events and self-injurious behaviour in Cornelia de Lange syndrome

BACKGROUND

There has been limited empirical research into the environmental causes of self-injury in Cornelia de Lange syndrome. The present study examined the variability of self-injurious behaviour in Cornelia de Lange syndrome across environmental setting events. Additionally, the association between setting events and more specific environmental events was examined.

METHOD

A descriptive analysis of observational data on eight children with Cornelia de Lange syndrome aged between 4 and 14 years was carried out. The association between self-injurious behaviour and four environmental setting events and between specific environmental events and setting events was examined using established statistical methods for observational data.

RESULTS

Seven out of eight of the participants showed at least one form of self-injurious behaviour that was associated with a particular setting event. The study also demonstrated that the relationship between setting events and environmental events is extremely variable across individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-injurious behaviour in some individuals with Cornelia de Lange syndrome is associated with environmental events although the precise nature of the association warrants clarification. Using broad setting events as a methodological tool in isolation provides some insight into the role of specific environmental factors in maintaining self-injurious behaviour but the integrity of setting events must be established.