D.

Uznadze Psychology
Institute
Georgia
The Interplay of Sensory Processing
and Repetitive Behaviors in Children
with Autism Spectrum Disorder and
Children with Down Syndrome

Tchintcharauli, Tinatin, Chargazia, M.,

Mindorashvili, S., Talakhadze, K.
Ilia State University, Child Development Institute, D.
Uznadze Psychology Institute,
Tbilisi, Georgia
• 1 in 160 children has an autism spectrum
disorder (WHO, 2016)

• 1 in 68 children has an autism spectrum

disorder (CDC, 2015)
• Repetitive and restrictive behaviors, activities
and interests are one of the core symptoms in
case of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

• Child engaged in repetitive behaviors stops

interacting with environment and this
interferes with the process of new skills
learning and development (Lanovaz at al. 2013).
• Sensory Integration can be defined as acquiring
and processing of information by different
sensory channels.

• As a result of Sensory Processing Disorder

children exhibit self-stimulatory, strange and what
is also important, repetitive behaviors.

• It is still questionable what is the relationship

between restrictive and repetitive behaviors and
sensory processing (Boyd et al., 2010).
Repetitive Behaviors are typical:
•For 72% of children with ASD (Murphy et
al., 2009);

•For 63% of children with Down syndrome

(Bhattacharya at al., 2009).
 The purpose of the study
• to evaluate the relationship between repetitive
behaviors and sensory processing in case of children
with ASD and as a comparison group – children with
Down Syndrome (DS).

ASD DS
 Participants
• Two groups of children participated in the
study.
• The children did not differ in level of
functionality (t=0.258, df=58, p<0.79).

ASD DS
N 30 30
Age M (SD) 5.77 (2.19) 4.5 (0.5)
 Instruments
• Sensory profile evaluation was made using the
Sensory Profile™ Caregiver Questionnaire
conducted by occupational therapist.
• Repetitive behaviors were measured using
Repetitive Behaviors Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2,
Leekam et al., 2007).
 Results
• We found statistically significant difference
between children with ASD and Down syndrome
in repetitive behaviors (F=4.636, p<0.035).
 Results
There are differences in sensory processing:
ANOVA
S um o f
Square s df Me an S quare F S ig .
Oral S e ns itivity Be twe e n Gro ups 73 5.0 00 1 735 .0 00 9 .8 1 6 .0 0 3
Within Gro ups 434 2.933 58 74.878
To tal 507 7.933 59
Mo to r Ac tivity Be twe e n Gro ups 29 4.8 17 1 294 .8 17 1 6 .768 .0 0 0
Within Gro ups 101 9.767 58 17.582
To tal 131 4.583 59
S e ns ory Proc e s s ing Be twe e n Gro ups 16 0.0 67 1 160 .0 67 4 .4 7 2 .0 3 9
Within Gro ups 207 5.867 58 35.791
To tal 223 5.933 59
To uc h Pro c e s s ing Be twe e n Gro ups 146 0.267 1 1 4 6 0 .2 6 7 9 .5 4 9 .0 0 3
Within Gro ups 886 9.333 58 152 .9 20
To tal 1 0 3 29 .6 0 0 59
 Results
• In contrast with children with Down
Syndrome, in the case of ASD almost all facets
of sensory processing contributed to
repetitive behaviors.
• In the case of children with Down Syndrome
no such relationship was revealed in the
study.
– Moreover, level of functionality contribute to the
repetitive behaviors in this group of children in
comparison with children with ASD.
 Conclusions
• The results of the study suggest that repetitive
behaviors and sensory processing have close
relationship in case of ASD.

• Further research is needed to clarify this

relationship.
 References
• Bhattacharya, R., Sanyal, D., Roy, K., & Saha, S. (2009). A study of cluster
behavioral abnormalities in Down syndrome. Indian Journal of Medical
Sciences, 63, 58–65.
• Boyd, B.A., Baranek, G. T., Sideris, J., Poe, M.D., Watson, L.R., Patten, E.,
Miller, H. (2010) Sensory Features and Repetitive Behaviors in Children
with Autism and Developmental Delays. Autism Res. 3(2): 78–87.
doi:10.1002/aur.124.
• Lanovaz, M. J., Robertson, K., Soerono, K., & Watkins, N. (2013). Effects of
reducing stereotypy on other behaviors: a systematic review. Research in
Autism Spectrum Disorders, 7, 1234–1243.
• Leekam, S, Tandos, J., McConachie, H., Meins, E., Parkinson, K., Wright, C.,
Turner, M., Arnott, B., Vittorini, L., & Le Couteur, A. (2007). Repetitive
behaviours in typically developing 2-year-olds. Journal of Child Psychology
and Psychiatry, 48, 11, 1131-1138.
• Murphy, O., Healy, O., & Leader, G. (2009). Risk factors for
challengingbehavior for 157 children with autism spectrum disorder in
Ireland. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 3, 474–482.