Factors Related to the Expression of Typical and Atypical Repetitive Movements of Young Children with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

One striking aspect of the behaviour of some young children with developmental disabilities is their engagement in stereotyped, repetitive movements which appear to lack adaptive significance and are perceived as aberrant. These behaviours have received a significant amount of attention by researchers, particularly in relation to their remediation. Repetitive movements are not always aberrant and occur during typical child development. This article reviews research describing developmentally typical and atypical repetitive motor movements of children with and without a disability. Additionally, findings from a regression analysis describing factors associated with the expression of developmentally typical and atypical motor behaviours of young children with developmental disabilities are reported. Findings are discussed in light of previous research.