Abstract
Systematic study of abnormal repetitive behaviors in autism has been lacking despite the diagnostic significance of such behavior. The occurrence of specific topographies of repetitive behaviors as well as their severity was assessed in individuals with mental retardation with and without autism. The occurrence of each behavior category, except dyskinesias, was higher in the autism group and autistic subjects exhibited a significantly greater number of topographies of stereotypy and compulsions. Both groups had significant patterns of repetitive behavior co-occurrence. Autistic subjects had significantly greater severity ratings for compulsions, stereotypy, and self-injury. Repetitive behavior severity also predicted severity of autism. Although abnormal repetition is not specific to autism, an elevated pattern of occurrence and severity appears to characterize the disorder.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author
Barnes, T. R. E. (1989). A rating scale for drug-induced akathisia. British Journal of Psychiatry, 154, 672–676.
Bartak, L., & Rutter, M. (1976). Differences between mentally retarded and normally intelligent autistic children. Journal of Austism and Child Schizophrenia, 6, 109–120.
Bodfish, J. W., Crawford, T. W., Powell, S. B., Parker, D. E., Golden, R. N., & Lewis, M. H. (1995). Compulsions in adults with mental retardation: Prevalence, phenomenology, and comorbidity with stereotypy and self-injury. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 100, 183–192.
Bodfish, J. W., Newell, K. M., Sprague, R. L., Harper, V. N., & Lewis, M. H. (1996). Dyskinetic movement disorder among adults with mental retardation: Phenomenology and co-occurrence with stereotypy. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 101, 118–129.
Bodfish, J. W., Newell, K. M., Sprague, R. L, Harper V. N., & Lewis, M. H. (1997). Akathisia in adults with mental retardation: Development of the Akathisia Ratings of Movement Scale (ARMS). American Journal of Mental Retardation, 101, 413–423
Bodfish, J. W., Parker, D. E., Rosenquist, P. B., & Lewis, M. H. (1996). Assessment and treatment of Tourette syndrome among adults with mental retardation. Paper presented at the 29th Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Mental Retardation.
Bodfish, J. W., Symons, F. J. & Lewis, M. H. (1998). The Repetitive Behavior Scale: A test manual. Western Carolina Center Research Reports.
Brasic, J. R., Barnett, J. Y., Kaplan, D., Sheitman, B. B., Aisemberg, P., Lafargue, R. T., Kowalik, S., Clark, A., Tsaltas, M. O., & Young, J. G. (1994). Clomipramine ameliorates adventitious movements and compulsions in prepubertal boys with autistic disorder and severe mental retardation. Neurology, 44, 1309–1312.
Burd, L., Fisher, W. W., Kerbeshian, J., & Arnold, M. E. (1987). Is development of Tourette disorder a marker for improvement in patients with autistic and other pervasive developmental disorders? Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 26, 162–165.
Campbell, M., Locascio J., Choroco, M. C., Spencer, E. K., Malone, R. P., Kafantaris, V., & Overall, J. E. (1990). Stereotypies and tardive dyskinesia: Abnormal movements in autistic children. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 26, 260–266.
Comings, D., & Comings, B. (1991). Clinical and genetic relationships between autism-pervasive developmental disorder and Tourette syndorme. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 39, 180–191.
Hermelin, B., & O'Connor, N. (1963). The response and self-generated behaviour of severely disturbed children and severely subnormal controls. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 2, 37–43.
Kalachnik, J. E., & Sprague, R. L. (1993). The Dyskinesia Identification System Condensed User Scale (DISCUS): Reliability, validity, and a total score cutoff for mentally ill and mentally retarded populations. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 49, 177–189.
Kanner, L. (1943). Autistic disturbances of affective content. Nervous Child, 2, 217–250.
Krug, D. A., Arick, J. R., & Almond, P. J. (1980). Autism Screening Instrument for Education Planning. Portland, OR: ASIEP.
Leonard, H. L., Lenane, M. C., Swedo, S. E., Rettew, D. C., Gershon, E. S., & Rapoport, J. L. (1992). Tics and Tourette's disorder: A 2-to 7-year follow-up of 54 obsessive-compulsive children. American Journal of Psychiatry, 149, 1244–1251.
Lewis, M. H., & Bodfish, J. W. (1998). Repetitive behavior disorders in autism. Mental Retardation Research Reviews, 4, 80–89.
Matson, J. L., Baglio, C. S., Smiroldo, B. B., Hamilton, M., Packlowskyj, T., Williams, D., & Kirkpatrick-Sanchez, S. (1996). Characteristics of autism as assessed by the diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped-II (DASH-II). Research and Developmental Disabilities, 17, 135–143.
McDougle, C., Kresch, L., Goodman, W., Naylor, S. T., Volkmar, F. R., Cohen, D. J., & Price, L. H. (1995). A case-controlled study of repetitive thoughts and behavior in adults with autistic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 727–777.
Meiselas, K. D., Spencer, E. K., Oberfield, R., Peselow, E. D., Angrist, B., & Campbell, M. (1989). Differentiation of stereotypies from neuroleptic-related dyskinesias in autistic children. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 9, 207–209.
Owens, D., Johnstone, E., & Frith, C. (1982). Spontaneous involuntary disorders of movement. Archives of General Psychiatry, 39, 452–416.
Pauls, D., Towbin, K., & Leckman, J. (1986). Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder: Evidence supporting a genetic relationship. Archives of General Psychiatry, 43, 1180–1182.
Powell, S., Bodfish, J., Parker, D., Crawford, T., & Lewis, M. (1996). Self-restraint and self-injury: Occurrence and motivational significance. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 101, 41–48.
Prior, M., & MacMillan, M. (1973). Maintenance of sameness in children with Kanner's syndrome. Journal of Autism and Child Schizophrenia, 3, 154–167.
Rojahn, J. (1986). Self-injurious behavior and stereotypic behavior in noninstitutionalized mentally retarded people: Prevalence and classification. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 91, 268–276.
Rutter, M. (1985). The treatment of autistic children. Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 26, 193–214.
Rutter, M. (1996). Autism research: prospects and priorities. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 26, 257–275.
Sachdev, P., & Loneragan, C. (1991). The present status of akathisia. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 179, 381–391.
Schopler, E., Reichler, R. I., & Renner, B. R. (1986). The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) for diagnostic screening and classification in autism. New York: Irvington.
Schroeder, S., Schroeder, C., Smith, B., & Dalldorf, J. (1978). Prevalence of self-injurious behavior in a large state facility for the retarded. Journal of Autism and Child Schizophrenia, 8, 261–269.
Shay, J., Sanchez, L., Cueva, J., Armenteros, J., Overall, J., & Campbell, M. (1993). Neuroleptic-related dyskinesia and stereotypies in autistic children. Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 29, 359–363.
Vitiello, D., Spreat, S., & Behar, D. (1989). Obsessive-compulsive disorder in mentally retarded patients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 177, 232–236.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bodfish, J.W., Symons, F.J., Parker, D.E. et al. Varieties of Repetitive Behavior in Autism: Comparisons to Mental Retardation. J Autism Dev Disord 30, 237–243 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005596502855
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005596502855