Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026

A Familiarization Protocol Facilitates the Participation of Children with ASD in Electrophysiological Research
Published on: July 31, 2017
Functional analysis of insistence on sameness in an 11-year old boy with Asperger syndrome
Nadia Ollington1, Vanessa A Green, Mark F O'Reilly
1Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania, Australia. nadia.ollington@utas.edu.au
Objective:
To identify the functional properties of insistence on sameness associated with autism spectrum disorders.
Method:
An 11-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome was observed during play where scenarios (mistakes, misplaced items, interrupted activity) were created to correspond with parent-reported scenarios where the child would insist on sameness. The extent of problem behaviour was observed under four functional assessment conditions (restore environment, tangible, attention, escape), according to a multi-element design.
Results:
The results showed an interaction between the scenario type and type of functional assessment condition. Problem behaviour appeared to have a restorative function related to correcting a mistake, an attention function related to attempting to recruit help in finding a missing item and a tangible function suggesting an attempt to regain access to the materials and activity.
Conclusion:
Problem behaviours related to insistence on sameness may be motivated by different consequences depending on the scenario created.
Related Concept Videos
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
Adler's Individual Psychology
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...

