Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31299/hrri.60.2.4
Gender differences in repetitive behaviours in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
Matea Behin
; SLP center Logoart, Trg F. Tuđmana 8, Zaprešić, Croatia
Jasmina Stošić
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Borongajska 83f, Zagreb, Croatia
Sanja Šimleša
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, Borongajska 83f, Zagreb, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Repetitive behaviours are one of the main criteria contributing to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), along with deficits in social communication and interaction. They refer to predictable actions that the child displays repeatedly and/or performs similarly or identically. These actions include a wide range of behaviours such as motor stereotypies, preoccupation with parts of objects, insistence on sameness, limited interests, ritualised behaviours, and sensory hypo- and hyper-reactivity. The prevalence of ASD is steadily increasing, and it is a disorder that has been diagnosed more frequently in boys than girls since
its inception. Numerous studies have reported contradictory findings regarding gender differences in the quantity and quality of repetitive behaviours. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether there are gender differences in repetitive behaviours in children with ASD between the ages of 6 and 9 years, as well as to describe these differences. The participants included 50 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (30 boys and 20 girls), who were between 6 and 9 years old and had (above) average intellectual abilities. All participants completed the Revised Scale of Repetitive Behaviours and the data obtained were statistically analysed using non-parametric methods. The results indicate that girls exhibit more self-injurious behaviours and less restricted behaviours than boys. No statistically significant gender differences were found for the other subscales of the questionnaire, suggesting that other behaviours occur equally in boys and girls. Overall, repetitive behaviours
can be considered as an equally moderate problem for both parents of boys and girls.
Keywords
autism; repetitive behaviours; gender differences
Hrčak ID:
323937
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2024.
Visits: 0 *