Abstract
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), are characterized by severe and debilitating symptoms including stereotypic behaviors. Stereotypies constitute core features of ASD and markedly impede attempts to remediate the disorder. Little previous research has examined characteristics of stereotypies in adults with ASD, or differentiated these behaviors as they present in ASD, from persons with intellectual disability (ID) only. In the present study 336 adults, those with ASD and ID versus ID alone were evaluated with respect to the nature and extent of their stereotypied behavior. A comparison of autistic to PDD-NOS participants was also conducted to offer a more fine-grained analysis specific to the ASD population. The nature and implications of these data for differential diagnosis in adults with ASD are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (4th ed.)(DSM-IV). Washington, DC: APA.
Chadwick, O., Walker, N., Bernard, S. & Taylor, E. (2000). Factors affecting the risk of behaviour problems in children with severe intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 44, 108–123.
Charman, T., Taylor, E., Drew, A., Cockerill, H., Brown, J. A., & Baird, G. (2005). Outcome at 7 years of children diagnosed with autism at age 2: Predictive validity of assessments conducted at 2 and 3 years of age and pattern of symptom change over time. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 46, 500–513.
Crockett, J. L., Fleming, R. K., Doepke, K. J., & Stevens, J. S. (2007). Parent training: Acquisition and generalization of discrete trials teaching skills with parents of children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 28, 23–36.
Croen, L. A., Grether, J. K., Hoogstrate, J., & Selvin, S. (2002). The changing prevalence of autism in California. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 32, 207–215.
de Bildt, A., Sytema, S., Kraijer, D., Sparrow, S., & Minderaa, R. (2005). Adaptive functioning and behaviour problems in relation to level of education in children and adolescents with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 49, 672–681.
Dominick, K. C., Davis, W. O., Lainhart, J., Tager-Flusberg, H., & Folstein, S. (2007). Atypical behaviors in children with autism and children with a history of language impairment. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 28, 145–162.
Epstein, L. A., Doke, L. A., Sajwaj, T. E., Sorrel, S., & Rimmer, B. (1974). Generality and side effects of overcorrection. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7, 385–390.
Freeman, B. J., Ritvo, E. R., Schroth, P. C. (1984). Behavior assessment of the syndrome of autism: Behavior observation system. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 23, 588–594.
Gardenier, N. C., MacDonald, R., & Green, G. (2004). Comparison of direct observational methods for measuring stereotypic behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 25, 99–118.
Gillberg, C., & Coleman, M. (1996). Autism and medical disorders: A review of the literature. Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 38, 191–202.
Gillberg, C., & Wing, L. (1999). Autism: Not an extremely rare disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavia, 99, 399–406.
Gillett, J. W., & LeBlanc, L. A. (2007). Parent-implemented natural language paradigm to increase language and play in children with autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1, 247–255.
Hill, J., & Furniss, F. (2006). Patterns of emotional and behavioural disturbance associated with autistic traits in young people with severe intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27, 517–528.
Holden, B., & Gitlesen, J. P. (2006). A total population study of challenging behaviour in the country of Hedmark, Norway: Prevalence and risk markers. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27, 456–465.
Ingersoll, B., & Gergans, S. (2007). The effect of a parent-implemented imitation intervention on spontaneous imitation skills in young children with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 28, 163–175.
Jacobson, J. W., Mulick, J. A., & Green, G. (1998). Cost-benefit estimates for early intensive behavioral interventions for young children with autism. Behavioral interventions, 13, 201–226.
Jones, R. S. P., Wint, D., & Ellis, N. C. (1990). The social effects of stereotyped behavior. Journal of Mental Deficiency Research, 34, 261–268.
LaGrow, S. J., & Repp, A. C. (1984). Stereotypic responding: A review of intervention research. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 88, 595–609.
Lam, K. S. L., Aman, M. G., & Arnold, L. E. (2006). Neurochemical correlates of autistic disorder: A review of the literature. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27, 254–289.
Lord, C., Risi, S., Lambrecht, L., Cook, E. H., Jr., Leventhal, B. L., DiLavore, P. C. et al. (2000). The autism diagnostic observation schedule-generic: A standard measure of social and communication deficits associated with the spectrum of autism. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 30, 205–223.
MacDonald, R., Green, G., Mansfield, R., Geckeler, A., Gardenier, N., Anderson, J. et al. (2007). Stereotypy in young children with autism and typically developing children. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 28, 266–277.
Matson, J. L. (2007). Current status of differential diagnosis for children with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 28, 109–118.
Matson, J. L., & Boisjoli, J. (2007). Differential diagnosis of PDD-NOS in children. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1, 75–84.
Matson, J. L., Boisjoli, J. A., Gonzáles, M. L., Smith, K. R. & Wilkins, J. (2007a). Norms and cut-off scores for the Autism Spectrum Disorders Diagnosis for adults with intellectual disability. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, DOI 10.1016/j.rasd.2007.01.001 (in press)
Matson, J. L., Dempsey, T., LoVullo, S., & Wilkins, J. (2007b). The effects of intellectual functioning on the range of core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders. Research in Developmental Disabilities, DOI 10.1016/j.ridd.2007.06.006 (in press)
Matson, J. L., Kiely, S. L., & Bamburg, J. W. (1997). The effect of stereotypies on adaptive skills as assessed with the DASH-II and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 18, 471–476.
Matson, J. L., Nebel-Schwalm, M. S., & Matson, M. L. (2007c). A review of methodological issues in the differential diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in children: Diagnostic systems and scaling methods. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1, 38–54.
Matson, J. L., & Smith, K. R. (2007). Current status of intensive behavioral interventions for young adults with autism and PDD-NOS. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, DOI 10.1016/j.rasd.2007.03.003 (in press)
Moore, V., & Goodson, S. (2003). How well does early diagnosis of autism stand the test of time? Follow-up study of children assessed for autism at age 2 and development of an early diagnostic service. Autism, 7, 47–63.
Morrison, K., & Rosales-Ruis, J. (1997). The effect of object preferences on task performance and stereotypy in a child with autism. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 18, 127–137.
Noone, S. J., Jones, R. S. P., & Hastings, R. P. (2006). Care staff attributions about challenging behaviors in adults with intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27, 109–120.
Palmer, G. A. (2006). Neuropsychological profiles of persons with mental retardation and Dementia. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 27, 299–309.
Prior, M. (2003). Is there an increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders? Journal of Pediatric Child Health, 39, 81–82.
Rapin, I. (1997). Autism. New England Journal of Medicine 1997, 337, 97–104.
Schroeder, S. R., Rojahn, J., Mulick, J. A. & Schroeder, C. S. (1990) Self-injurious behavior. In J. L. Matson (ed.), Handbook of behavior modification with the mentally retarded. (2nd ed., pp. 141–180) New York: Plenum.
Sparrow, S. S., Balla, D. A., & Cicchetti, D. V. (1984). Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, Expanded from Manual. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Services.
Tidmarsh, L., & Volkmar, F. R. (2003). Diagnosis and epidemiology of autism spectrum disorders. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 48, 517–525.
Van Dalen, J. G. T. (1994). Autisme van binnenuit bekeken. Kijken door lichtau tistische ogen. Engagment, 21, 29–39.
Wolery, M., Kirk, M., & Gast, D. L. (1985). Stereotypic behavior as a reinforcer: Effects and side effects. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 15, 149–161.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Matson, J.L., Dempsey, T. Stereotypy in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Relationship and Diagnostic Fidelity. J Dev Phys Disabil 20, 155–165 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-007-9086-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-007-9086-0