Assessing Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Online-Sampled Autistic and Non-autistic Individuals: Factor Structure of the Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire for Adults (RBQ-2A)

Overview

Journal J Autism Dev Disord

Publisher Springer

Date 2023 Apr 13

PMID 37052863

Authors

Jack D Brett

Brooke Peden

David A Preece

Andrew Whitehouse

Rodrigo Becerra

Murray T Maybery

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire for Adults (RBQ-2A) measures two factors of restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) associated with autism. However, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) provides four criteria for RRBs: repetitive motor behaviours, insistence on sameness, restricted interests, and interest in sensory aspects of the environment (or atypical sensitivity). The current paper aimed to examine whether the RBQ-2A is a psychometrically sound measure of these four factors. Study 1 had university students (N = 368) complete the RBQ-2A and other related measures online and revealed that the RBQ-2A can assess the factors highlighted in the DSM-5 and that these four factors comprise a general RRB construct. Study 2 had individuals disclosing a diagnosis of autism (N = 283) complete the RBQ-2A and other related measures online and supported that this four-factor structure provided good psychometric properties. While the current paper provides findings for an online autistic population, further research is needed to generalize these findings to autistic individuals less likely to partake in online studies (e.g., those with intellectual or language disabilities). Overall, the results suggest that the RBQ-2A reliably and validly assesses RRBs.

Citing Articles

Insistence on sameness, repetitive negative thinking and mental health in autistic and non-autistic adults.

Cooper K, Russell A Autism. 2024; 29(2):424-434.

PMID: 39275955 PMC: 11816471. DOI: 10.1177/13623613241275468.

Measuring self and informant perspectives of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours (RRBs): psychometric evaluation of the Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-3 (RBQ-3) in adult clinical practice and research settgs.

Jones C, Livingston L, Fretwell C, Uljarevic M, Carrington S, Shah P Mol Autism. 2024; 15(1):24.

PMID: 38845057 PMC: 11157832. DOI: 10.1186/s13229-024-00603-7.

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