ABSTRACT
Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is a serious behavioral condition and is reported to affect millions of humans in the United States. The many factors that contribute to this disorder in people are not understood. Similar to the condition in humans, macaques also spontaneously develop this disorder, and SIB has been documented in both monkeys that are socially reared and monkeys individually housed. This type of behavior is defined as a deliberate destruction of body tissues, and in humans is classified as an impulse disorder with three
categories: major, stereotypic, and superficial/moderate. Different prevalence rates of SIB in macaques can be found in the literature: 0.8-10% (Macy et al. 2000) and 5-28% (Tiefenbacher 2005b). Most of the information known about SIB comes from human studies. There are several drug options available for management (Table 11.2).
