“Will it ever stop?”  Repetitive Behaviours: A Neglected Area of Early Autism Research

Start and End Dates: 1 January 2004 – 30 June 2004

Principal Investigators: Dr Helen McConachie, Professor Ann Le Couteur

Collaborators:  Dr Michelle Turner  (University of Durham)

Project Staff:  Emma Honey

Funding:  Inge Wakehurst Trust 

Abstract:

This study had two aims.  The first was to carry out a one-year longitudinal analysis of change or stability in the reported repetitive behaviours of one hundred and four children with communication disorders, including autism spectrum disorders.  Though the level of repetitive behaviours is generally related to ability in the children, there was one subgroup of relatively able children with autism spectrum disorders who had unexpectedly high levels of repetitive behaviours.  We found that parents reported that the impact and severity of problems diminished to an extent over the period of a year, though previous literature has suggested an increase.  Parents described a range of coping strategies.

The second aim was to develop a more detailed interview about repetitive behaviours in autism with a pilot group of parents.