Pica in persons with developmental disabilities: Characteristics, diagnosis, and assessment

Pica is a very serious and often life threatening problem which occurs largely in persons with developmental disabilities. The topic has received sporadic attention from researchers for several decades. This paper reviews definitions, diagnostic implications, causes, prevalence, and assessment methods that have been described in the research literature. A review of available studies is presented and the current state of our knowledge with respect to these areas is covered. The implication of these findings and future areas of research are discussed.

Research highlights
► Pica is a serious problem most commonly found in persons with autism and/or intellectual disability.
► Pica appears to primarily be a standalone behavior problem but some have viewed it as a symptom of other conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorders.
► Functional assessment is becoming very instrumental in the assessment of pica.