| Title: |
Preliminary Data on Behavioral Profiles of Youth with Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Trauma |
| Authors: |
Mathew C. Luehring; Leonora Ryland; Catherine Sanchez; Patrick W. Romani |
| Source: |
Behavioral Sciences ; Volume 16 ; Issue 2 ; Pages: 239 |
| Publisher Information: |
Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
MDPI Open Access Publishing |
| Subject Terms: |
neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs); trauma exposure; challenging behaviors; self-injury; aggression; functional analysis; behavior analysis; Pediatric ACEs |
| Description: |
Youth with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) face an increased risk of trauma compared to their peers without NDDs, often leading to challenging behaviors such as self-injury, aggression, and property destruction. However, limited research exists on the behavioral profiles and treatment outcomes of youth with both NDDs and trauma. This study examines a sample of 21 youth with NDDs and trauma admitted to a specialized psychiatric unit in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. A retrospective review of health records and admission data identified the most common target behaviors: negative vocalizations (95%), property destruction (62%), elopement (52%), and aggression (43%). Functional analyses indicated that escape was the most prevalent behavior function identified (43%), while 29% of the analyses yielded undifferentiated outcomes. Behavior analytic treatment packages incorporating differential reinforcement resulted in an average of 72% reduction from the baseline target behaviors. The average Pediatric ACEs score was 5 out of 10. The findings highlight the key behavioral patterns in this population and underscore the need for further research on effective interventions. |
| Document Type: |
text |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
Psychiatric, Emotional and Behavioral Disorders; https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/bs16020239 |
| DOI: |
10.3390/bs16020239 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.3390/bs16020239 |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.852E9FEC |
| Database: |
BASE |