Executive Function Skills Are Linked to Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors: Three Correlational Meta Analyses.

Area of Science:

• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core diagnostic feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• The underlying cognitive mechanisms contributing to RRBs, particularly executive function (EF) deficits, remain debated.
• RRBs and EF challenges are observed in both ASD and typically developing children, necessitating further investigation into their relationship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically evaluate the association between RRB levels and executive function (EF) performance across existing studies.
• To determine if EF deficits contribute to RRBs in individuals with ASD and during typical development.
• To assess the stability of the RRB-EF relationship across different EF measures and developmental stages.

Main Methods:

• Conducted three large-scale random-effects meta-analyses with a total sample size of 2964 participants.
• Examined the correlation between RRB levels and performance on set-shifting, inhibitory control, and parent-reported EF tasks.
• Analyzed data from both individuals with ASD and typically developing children.

Main Results:

• Confirmed significant associations between higher levels of RRBs and poorer performance on EF tasks, including set-shifting and inhibitory control.
• These associations were consistent across typical development and in individuals with ASD.
• The relationship between RRBs and EF deficits remained stable across various EF measurement methods.

Conclusions:

• Executive function (EF) deficits are significantly correlated with restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in both Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and typical development.
• The findings support the reconsideration of EF accounts for understanding RRBs.
• Targeting EF skills in interventions may be crucial for managing RRBs in ASD research and clinical practice.