Aggressive behaviour in children with autism

Abstract

The aim of this research was to examine characteristics and predictors of aggressive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), as well as to determine the presence of aggressive behaviour exhibited by children with ASD. The sample included 43 participants diagnosed with ASD. The instrument used was the Behaviour Problems Inventory - BPI-01 (Rojahn et al., 2002), aggression subscale. Our findings indicate that the children with ASD from our sample exhibit low rates of aggressive behaviour. Among those participants who do exhibit aggression towards others, the most prevalent forms of aggression were verbal aggression, grabbing and pulling others, cruelty and property destruction. Gender and the type of school the participants attended were not predictors of aggressive behaviours, while aggressive behaviour can be predicted by the child’s functionality level, where participants with low functioning ASD exhibit more aggressive behaviours in comparison with participants with high functioning ASD. Also, aggressive behaviour can be predicted by age, where increase in chronological age is negatively correlated with aggression. It is crucial that special educators address the aggressive behaviour exhibited by children with ASD from an early age. Even though it is important to know the topographies of aggression among children with ASD, which were presented in our findings, it is more important to examine the most common functions of aggression, or the reasons why the children with ASD exhibit these behaviours.