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Are restricted and repetitive behaviours in two- and six-year-olds associated with emotional and behavioural

Sarah J Carrington1, Mirko Uljarević2, Elizabeth Meins3

  • 1School of Psychology College of Health and Life Sciences Aston Universtity Birmingham UK.

JCPP Advances
|October 16, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) in children can signal later emotional and behavioral difficulties. Insistence on sameness (IS) at age six links to internalizing issues, while repetitive sensory-motor (RSM) behaviors at age six link to externalizing issues.

Area of Science:

  • Child psychology
  • Developmental neuroscience
  • Behavioral science

Background:

  • Restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are crucial for development but elevated levels beyond early childhood are linked to poorer outcomes.
  • RRBs are observed across various neurodevelopmental conditions and can impact language, cognition, and wellbeing.
  • Understanding distinct RRB subtypes and their developmental trajectories is key to identifying associated difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between distinct RRB subtypes (insistence on sameness and repetitive sensory-motor behaviors) and internalizing/externalizing difficulties.
  • To examine how these associations differ at ages two and six years.
  • To explore the developmental course of RRBs and their predictive value for emotional and behavioral problems in children.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 485 parents reporting on their child's insistence on sameness (IS) and repetitive sensory and motor (RSM) RRBs using the Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire (RBQ-2) at ages two and six.
  • Assessed emotional and behavioral difficulties using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) at age six.
  • Analyzed the associations between RRB subtypes at different ages and emotional/behavioral outcomes.

Main Results:

  • RRBs measured later in development (age six) were stronger predictors of emotional and behavioral difficulties than those measured earlier (age two).
  • Insistence on sameness (IS) RRBs at age six were specifically associated with internalizing behaviors.
  • Repetitive sensory-motor (RSM) RRBs at age six correlated with externalizing behaviors, whereas RSM RRBs at age two showed an association with fewer externalizing behaviors, supporting their adaptive role in early development.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated RRBs, particularly specific subtypes at certain developmental stages, can serve as indicators for emotional and behavioral difficulties at age six.
  • Findings highlight the differential impact of IS and RSM RRBs on internalizing and externalizing behaviors, respectively.
  • Further research is needed to fully delineate the adaptive periods for IS and RSM RRBs, but current findings suggest their utility in identifying children at risk for behavioral issues.
Abstract

Keywords:
externalisinginternalisingrestricted and repetitive behaviour

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