Toward improved understanding and treatment of self-injurious behaviors in autistic individuals with profound intellectual disability

This commentary examines self-injurious behaviors (SIB) in autistic individuals with moderate-to-profound intellectual disability, emphasizing the role of emotion regulation difficulties and co-occurring internalizing symptoms. The authors propose a conceptual framework linking environmental triggers, emotional responses, and regulation strategies to SIB manifestation, and discuss implications for future longitudinal research, measurement development, and clinical interventions.