An Interdisciplinary Approach to Self-Injurious and Aggressive Behavior

Many individuals with mental retardation engage in self-injurious or aggressive behavior. Causes for this behavior are multifactorial; therefore, effective assessment and treatment must be multifactorial as well. An interdisciplinary approach to self-injurious and aggressive behavior is more likely to result in accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. This paper explores the roles of members of the interdisciplinary team in the assessment and treatment of self-injurious and aggressive behavior in individuals with mental retardation and provides several case studies as examples.