Identifying the functions of restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests in Autism: A scoping review.

Abstract

Restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests (RRBIs) are common and integral to the everyday living of autistic persons. While RRBIs are often seen as negative behaviours to be subdued, they may serve regulatory roles that are central to an autistic way of being. Moreover, RRBIs are often present in early childhood and are associated with developmental benefits. Therefore, the continued presence of RRBIs among autistic persons beyond early childhood suggests that RRBIs may serve adaptive functions. To inform and improve clinical decision-making and gain a deeper understanding of the adaptive roles of RRBIs, a scoping review methodology was used to identify the key functions of RRBIs in autism. Our results resulted in 21 studies from the PsycINFO and Medline databases among the 3162 studies on RRBIs published between 2010 and 2023 retrieved. Four themes of functions were identified and mapped onto the subdomains of RRBIs. Specifically, results indicated that RRBIs (i) help autistic persons regulate sensory experiences, (ii) cope with feelings of anxiety, (iii) introduce certainty to their environment, and (iv) make sense of their world. This paper highlights the constructive characteristics of RRBIs and presents an alternative perspective to understand them and help inform decisions about whether and how RRBIs should be managed. Future research should focus on gathering qualitative insights into RRBIs from the perspectives of autistic persons and developing nuanced approaches to managing RRBIs by considering their functions.