Validating the Repetitive Behavior Scale-revised in young children with autism spectrum disorder.
The RBS-R gives BCBAs a solid way to count and track repetitive behaviors in preschoolers with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Mirenda et al. (2010) checked if the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) measures the same thing every time. They gave the parent form to preschoolers with autism. Then they ran statistics to see how the items clump together.
What they found
The numbers fit both a 3-factor and a 5-factor version of the scale. The RBS-R scores lined up with other behavior checklists, but not with kids' IQ or language scores. That pattern tells us the tool really targets repetitive acts, not general development.
How this fits with other research
Schertz et al. (2016) later repeated the math with toddlers and got the same good fit. They showed the scale works even when kids are younger.
Day et al. (2021) widened the lens to children who have both autism and ADHD. They found the same four factors pop out, but kids with autism simply score higher. The structure holds across diagnoses.
Lancioni et al. (2006) seems to disagree at first glance. That study says many toddlers don't yet show repetitive acts, so the ADI-R misses them. The key difference is age: E et al. looked at very young toddlers, while Pat et al. sampled older preschoolers who already had clear repetitive behaviors. Once kids reach preschool, the RBS-R captures what the ADI-R can miss.
Why it matters
If you evaluate preschoolers with autism, you can trust the RBS-R to give reliable numbers for goal setting and progress tracking. Use it alongside developmental tests; the RBS-R adds a unique repetitive-behavior lens that IQ or language scores will not provide.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study examined the factor structure of the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) in a sample of 287 preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine six competing structural models. Spearman's rank order correlations were calculated to examine the associations between factor scores and variables of interest. The 3- and 5-factor models were selected as preferable on the basis of fit statistics and parsimony. For both models, the strongest correlations were with problem behavior scores on the Child Behavior Checklist and repetitive behavior scores on the ADI-R. Developmental index standard scores were not correlated with factors in either model. The results confirm the utility of the RBS-R as a measure of repetitive behaviors in young children with ASD.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2010 · doi:10.1007/s10803-010-1012-0