Ritualistic Behavior
Ritualistic behavior is defined as restricted, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors which present themselves as obsessive interests, rigid adherence to routines, stereotyped motor movements, and preoccupation with parts of or whole objects.
Obsessive interests can be in topics or in objects. This can be seen in the inability or inflexibility in reading or talking about topics, and obsession with toys, books, or behaviors many people may view this behavior as aberrant, it important to realize that we all have interests and these interest can be used to facilitate learning. For instance, if a child is interested in Spiderman this topic could be used as a material for teaching the child to read or take the perspective of others. It is also important to understand that we should not try to stop a child’s interest, but help them use these interests to grow in functional ways.
Adherence to routines may lead to some anxiety due to confusion arising from changes in schedules and routines. Some routines may be counterproductive and non-functional. It is vital that we help children learn to be flexible, but we must provide them with adequate supports to do so. The use of visual schedules can be very helpful in this regard because it can help prepare the child for deviations from the normal routine. If we do not provide children with the supports necessary to foster flexibility, we may inadvertently increase anxiety around changes in routines and schedules.
Stereotyped motor movements include flapping, spinning, rocking, and self-injurious behavior. These stereotyped movements are thought to be driven by internal processes to help the child self-regulate. This self-regulation may be linked to pain, chemical imbalances, confusion, or feelings of under or over stimulation. Sometimes these stereotyped behaviors may begin as self-regulation but become reinforced by outside factors including access to objects or attention. It is important to conduct a functional behavior analysis to better understand the driving force for these stereotypical behaviors so we can best understand how to address them. It is typically not appropriate to stop a child from engaging in these behaviors unless they are in some way endangering themselves or others. By conducting a functional behavior analysis we can determine the best course of action to help the child learn appropriate forms of self-regulation. An important thing to note here is that we all engage in self-regulating behaviors including tapping our pencils, biting our nails, squeezing our hands together, and going for walks.
Preoccupation with objects can border on perseveration that can lead to the inability to shift focus from that object. Behavior problems can arise around obsessions and routines when there is an attempt to quickly alter behavior, change routines and schedules on short notice, and remove objects of obsession. It is of the utmost importance that we systematically address ritualistic behavior by first understanding the function of the behavior in order to best serve the child’s needs.