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Repetitive behaviours in typically developing 2-year-olds.

Susan Leekam1, Jonathan Tandos, Helen McConachie

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Durham, UK. S.R.Leekam@durham.ac.uk

Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines
|November 13, 2007
PubMed
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Repetitive behaviors are common in all 2-year-olds, not just those with autism. This study found four main types of these behaviors, suggesting they exist on a spectrum in childhood development.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Child Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Repetitive behaviors are key diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • These behaviors are also observed in typically developing children, necessitating further investigation into their prevalence and nature.
  • Understanding the spectrum of repetitive behaviors is crucial for accurate diagnosis and developmental assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the frequency and factor structure of repetitive behaviors in a large community sample of 2-year-old children.
  • To develop and validate a new measure for assessing repetitive behaviors in early childhood.
  • To explore the continuum of repetitive behaviors from typically developing children to those with autism.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Utilized the Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire (RBQ-2), a newly developed measure.
  • Collected data from a large community sample of 679 parents of 2-year-olds.
  • Employed factor analysis to determine the underlying structure of repetitive behaviors.

    • Main Results:

    • The RBQ-2 demonstrated good psychometric properties.
    • A four-factor model best explained the data, accounting for 51% of the variance.
    • Identified four sub-scales: unusual sensory interests, repetitive motor movements, rigidity/adherence to routine, and preoccupations with restricted patterns of interest.
    • Repetitive behaviors were frequently reported across all children, with boys scoring higher on restricted interests.

    Conclusions:

    • Repetitive behaviors exist on a continuum of functioning that includes typically developing children.
    • The findings support the idea that these behaviors are not exclusive to autism but represent a broader developmental phenomenon.
    • The identified sub-scales align with existing classifications of repetitive behaviors in autism, such as those in ICD-10 criteria.