ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors for self-injurious behaviours among children with autistic disorders. A descriptive exploratory design was utilized in this study. A sample of convenience of 50 autistic children were recruited from Out-patient Clinic in Institute for Postgraduate Childhood Studies-Center for Children with Special Needs [Autism Unit] in Ain-Shams University and Center for Social and Preventive Medicine [child psychiatry out-patient clinic] at Abu-EL-Rish University Hospital. Four tools were used to measure the current study variables, sociodemographic and medical data sheet, childhood autism rating scale, diagnostic self-injury behaviors scale and Vineland adaptive behavior scale. The results showed that, half of the studied sample had severe degree of autism, and severe degree of self-injury behaviors. Findings revealed that there is an association between severity of self-injury and higher degree of autism, higher communication delay, lower age and intelligent quotient. To conclude, SIBs represent a very common problem in children with autism. Further studies about SIBs on a larger number of autistic children from different geographical areas are recommended