Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder: Etiology, Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors, and Applied Behavior Analysis

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-460-0_10How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder; Restricted and repetitive behaviors; Applied behavior analysis

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that influences an individual’s ability to engage in social interactions, communicate effectively, and regulate behavior. This paper presents a systematic review of etiology, the function of restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRBs), and the impact of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in treating ASD. The underlying causes of ASD are multifaceted, involving a combination of genetic, environmental, and social elements. A main characteristic of ASD is RRBs, but that behavior is also seen in other disorders. Research suggests that RRBs are also related to executive function (EF) in ASD. ABA is a widely used treatment that improves communication, social skills, and daily activity. In addition, parent-led ABA has shown potential benefits for children with ASD. However, there are some challenges in the fields of RRBs and ABA. The classification of RRBs still has controversies, which makes it difficult to attain target interventions. Moreover, while ABA is widely used, some critics have raised ethical concerns about ABA, though therapists follow strict guidelines and create individualized treatment plans. Additionally, they thought ABA’s effectiveness excludes nonverbal individuals, limiting understanding of its broader impact. Alternative communication methods can provide additional support to overcome this challenge. This paper emphasizes the need to explore the genetic, environmental, and social etiology of ASD, further research to refine the classification of RRBs, and assess the long-term effectiveness of ABA across diverse populations. Learning more about these areas will help create better and more inclusive treatments for people with ASD.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Xinrui Li
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/08/31
TI  - Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder: Etiology, Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors, and Applied Behavior Analysis
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 6th International Conference on Mental Health, Education and Human Development (MHEHD 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 71
EP  - 80
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-460-0_10
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-460-0_10
ID  - Li2025
ER  -