Parent Reported Repetitive Behavior in Toddlers on the Autism Spectrum
Toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were assessed on the Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised (RBS R) which we found to have acceptable internal consistency. Stereotypical subscale scores showed a negligible association with cognitive level, but correlated more strongly with adaptive and social indicators. Relative to earlier reported RBS R scores for older age groups, toddlers' scores trended toward higher stereotyped behavior and lower ritualistic/sameness behavior. Our findings on associations with developmental indicators align with those of researchers who used more resource intensive repetitive behavior measures. The convergence of these findings with those derived from other measurement methods suggests that the RBS R, a cost effective parent report measure, is a viable means of assessing repetitive behavior in toddlers with autism.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders