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Molecular Autism
Published in: Molecular Autism 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Short report

Assessing subtypes of restricted and repetitive behaviour using the Adult Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire-2 in autistic adults

Authors: Sarah L. Barrett, Mirko Uljarević, Catherine R. G. Jones, Susan R. Leekam

Published in: Molecular Autism | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

The majority of previous research into restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) has focussed on children, partly due to a lack of suitable measures for RRBs in adults. This study aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the Adult Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A) in a large sample of autistic adults using a self-report questionnaire method.

Methods

The RBQ-2A and Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) were administered online. Data from 275 autistic adults aged 18–66 (M = 36.56, SD = 12.24; 100 men and 171 women) were analysed using polychoric principal components analysis (PCA). Reliability and validity were assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and correlation analyses.

Results

PCA resulted in two components of the RBQ-2A, interpretable as repetitive sensory and motor behaviours (RSMB) and insistence on sameness (IS). Both components showed acceptable internal consistency (α = .70 and .81 respectively) and were significantly moderately correlated with scores on the AQ (rs = .25 and .42). Participants’ scores on IS were higher than their scores on RSMB. RSMB, but not IS, was negatively associated with age, particularly in older adults (≥ 50 years). There were no gender differences.

Conclusions

The RBQ-2A is a reliable and valid self-report measure of RRBs in the present sample of autistic adults. As one of the few measures of RRBs aimed at adults, it is suitable for adults with the ability to read and complete a self-report questionnaire. Results build on previous work with children using the Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2).
Footnotes
1
One participant had a score of 24 but missing data on two items, so may have reached the cut-off of 26. However, as it was not possible to know what their scores would have been, they were not included in the analysis.
 
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Metadata
Title
Assessing subtypes of restricted and repetitive behaviour using the Adult Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire-2 in autistic adults
Authors
Sarah L. Barrett
Mirko Uljarević
Catherine R. G. Jones
Susan R. Leekam
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Molecular Autism / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 2040-2392
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-018-0242-4

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