Profiles of stereotyped behaviour in people with combined sensory impairments and intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Stereotyped and repetitive behaviours are characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) but also occur in individuals with combined intellectual and sensory disabilities. This article looked at the differences in type, frequency, and duration of stereotyped behaviours between individuals with and without ASD in this population. The study included 59 individuals with intellectual disabilities and sensory impairments. The presence of ASD was assessed using Observation of Autism in people with Sensory and Intellectual Disabilities (OASID). Separate from these assessments, video recordings were scored by observers naive to the ASD status of participants for stereotyped and repetitive behaviours. Stereotyped and repetitive behaviours were more prevalent in participants with ASD, though a large proportion of participants without ASD showed them too. Participants with ASD showed, on average, more frequent and in duration longer stereotyped and repetitive behaviours, especially self-injurious behaviours. No differences were found for vocal, motoric, and stereotyped behaviours with objects. The mean duration of each episode of stereotyped behaviour did not differ between groups. Cluster analysis revealed a distinct group of individuals without ASD who showed a high number of stereotyped behaviours.

Restricted and repetitive behaviors and association with cognition and adaptive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder in Singapore

“…RRBs are not specific to ASD. They are observed in varied psychiatric and developmental conditions such as Prader-Willi syndrome ( 6 ), Fragile X syndrome ( 7 ), general intellectual disability and blindness ( 8 ). They are also seen in non-autistic children ( 9 ).…”

Rehabilitation healthcare professionals’ competence and confidence in differentially diagnosing deafblindness from autism spectrum disorders: a cross-sectional survey in South Africa

“…Deafblindness is often misdiagnosed as ASD [ 7 , 13 – 15 ] because fundamentally, both conditions affect the way sensory information is accessed and processed [ 13 , 14 ]. Deafblindness is a dual sensory (hearing and vision) loss, which manifests through auditory and visual processing problems.…”

The impact of COVID-19 measures on parent-reported restricted and repetitive behaviours in pre-school children with autism

“…The expression of RRBs in autism is extremely heterogeneous and although some children with autism show certain RRBs at some point during their development, not all children will display them ubiquitously ( Turner, 1999 ; Walker et al, 2004 ). In addition, RRBs are not unique to autism and may also be observed in other developmental and psychiatric conditions ( de Vaan et al, 2020 ; Moss et al, 2013 ; Zandt et al, 2007 ) or in typical development when infants and toddlers are in the early process of developing coordinated voluntary movements ( Honey et al, 2007 ; Leekam et al, 2007 ; MacDonald et al, 2007 ). However, in young children with autism these early repetitive motor movements may be more frequent, intense and persistent through childhood ( Bodfish et al, 2000 ; Harrop et al, 2014 ; Leekam et al, 2011 ).…”