Self-Injurious Behavior

Self-injurious behavior (SIB) encompasses repetitive actions that cause physical harm to the individual performing them, such as head-banging, skin-picking, biting, or severe hand-mouthing that leads to tissue damage. SIB is more prevalent among individuals with intellectual disabilities, particularly those with severe or profound impairments. In accessibility and assistive technology contexts, SIB is significant because technologies can be designed to detect, monitor, and help reduce these behaviors, supporting both the individuals and their caregivers in educational and care settings.