Summary
The stereotyped behaviours of six institutionalized handicapped children were continuously observed during several days. Each child showed at least two forms of stereotyped behaviour. Using spectra of variance and cross-correlation analysis, the data were analysed with respect to underlying periodicities.
A 2.5-hour cycle was found in all observed stereotypies. Furthermore, stable phase relationships were found between the periodic variations of different stereotypies in one and the same child. The temporal courses of hand and oral stereotypies were synchronous but head and whole-body stereotypies were delayed by half a phase with respect to stereotypic handwaving.
A possible relationship is discussed between the 2.5-hour periodicity of stereotyped behaviour and Kleitman's “Basic Rest Activity Cycle.”
Zusammenfassung
An 6 mehrfach behinderten Kindern wurde unter stationären Pflegebedingungen das Auftreten verschiedener stereotyper Verhaltensweisen kontinuierlich über mehrere Tage beobachtet. Es wurden von jedem der Kinder mindestens zwei Formen motorischer Stereotypien in ihrem tageszeitlichen Verlauf protokolliert. Die Daten der Verhaltensbeobachtungen wurden einer mathematischen Periodikanalyse (Varianzspektren und Kreuzkorrelationen) unterzogen.
Die Tagesverläufe aller Stereotypieformen ließen eine ultradiane 2,5-Stunden-Periodik erkennen. Zwischen den periodischen Abläufen verschiedener stereotyper Aktivitäten ein und desselben Kindes wurden stabile Phasenbeziehungen gefunden. Dabei waren die Zeitverlüfe der Handstereotypien und oralen Stereotypien synchron, während die Kopf- und Körperstereotypien zur Handmotorik gegenphasig liefen.
Ein Zusammenhang der 2,5-Stunden-Periodik stereotyper Aktivitäten mit dem Kleitmanschen „Basic Rest Activity Cycle“ wird angedeutet.
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Meier-Koll, A., Pohl, P., Schaff, C. et al. Ein chronobiologischer Aspekt stereotypen Verhaltens. Arch. Psychiat. Nervenkr. 225, 179–191 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343402
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00343402