Start and End Dates: October 2005 - July 2006

Children who have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently have repetitive interests, they often show resistance to change and may display certain repeated movements. These behaviours can interfere with learning and in some cases cause distress to the child and their families. The nature, function and possible causes of repetitive behaviours in ASD are not well understood and in contrast to the range of studies on communication and social interaction difficulties in children with ASD there has been relatively little research devoted to understanding repetitive behaviours in young children with autism.

The aim is to follow up the development of children with autism spectrum disorder, who were previously assessed when they were aged 2-3 years old. The children are now aged 7-9 years.

The three principal objectives are :

1. To see if there is any change in the type, frequency and severity of children’s repetitive behaviours as reported by parents.

2. To discover the impact of children's repetitive behaviours on family life, and about parents’ coping strategies.

3. To explore the relationship between children’s thinking styles and the current levels of repetitive behaviour.

 

 

Publications associated with this project

McConachie, H, Johnson M M, Watson M O, Freeston M and Le Couteur A S. Profile of repetitive behaviours in children with autism spectrum disorder from 2 to 9 years of age. Presented at the the 18th Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Childhood Disability, Barcelona, October 2006.