A Distinct Three-Factor Structure of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in an Epidemiologically Sound Sample of Preschool-Age Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Laura Hiruma, Rebecca Edmondson Pretzel, Amanda L Tapia and 7 others
PMID 33387232WHAT IT FOUND
Preschoolers with autism showed three distinct behavior clusters: repetitive sensorimotor, insistence on sameness, and stereotyped speech.
Speech patterns linked to higher language skills, while sensorimotor behaviors linked to lower adaptive functioning. This structure was unclear in non-autism children.
Key findings
01The exploratory factor analysis for the ASD group retained three factors.
02The SPEECH factor showed moderate positive correlations with expressive and receptive language scores.
03The ASD-negative group factor structure was difficult to interpret due to limited item endorsements.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The factor structure for the comparison group (non-ASD) was difficult to interpret because few behaviors were endorsed, requiring the collapse of response categories. The analysis relied on caregiver report (ADI-R), which may underrepresent the full range of behaviors compared to direct observation. The sample included a large number of items relative to the size of the comparison group. This was an exploratory analysis; confirmatory studies are needed to validate this three-factor structure.
Declared interests
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that stereotyped speech in preschoolers with autism indicates low language ability. In this sample, it was positively associated with higher expressive and receptive language scores, unlike findings in older children.