CHARACTERISTICS OF STEREOTYPIC MOVEMENT DISORDER AND SELF-INJURIOUS-BEHAVIOR ASSESSED WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC-ASSESSMENT FOR THE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED (DASH-II)

The first experiment involved 143 individuals with severe and profound mental retardation. Individuals with Stereotypic Movement Disorder Se lf-injurious Behavior (SIB), and Stereotypic movement disorder with se lf-injurious behavior as assessed by the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II DASH-II were validated against Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV; Ameri can Psychiatric Association, 1994) criteria. lit a second study DASH-I I scores for 1480 individuals with severe and profound mental retardat ion were compared on demographic variables, core and associated featur es of each disorder. Characteristics of persons in each group were rev iewed. Persons with profound mental retardation were more likely to ev ince stereotypies or self-injury compared to their severely impaired c ounterparts Also, those with stereotypies were more likely to present with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD)/autism, organicity, and ea ting disorders, while persons with SIE were more likely to evince slee p, sexual, and eating disorders. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.