Abstract
This study of the Japanese version of the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) focused on individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). There were 53 participants in the ASD group (male n = 42; mean age = 11.2, SD = 10.5 years) and the control group consisted of 40 individuals (23 mentally retarded and 17 of typical development). Clinicians scored them on the RBS-R, based on the participant's parental reports. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .91, indicating good internal consistency. Across 15 ASD individuals, intra-class correlation coefficients on 43 items ranged from .79 to 1.00, demonstrating satisfactory inter-rater reliability. Both the RBS-R overall number of items endorsed and overall score were significantly higher in the ASD group than in the control group, demonstrating discriminant validity. Significant correlations (r = .65) between the RBS-R overall score and the total score of three items concerning repetitive behavior (from the Childhood Autism Rating Scale-Tokyo Version) demonstrated good concurrent validity. These results suggest the Japanese RBS-R is a valid and reliable instrument for evaluation of repetitive behaviors by Japanese individuals with ASD, although further investigation is necessary.
