Behavioural flexibility in individuals with Angelman syndrome, Down syndrome, non-specific intellectual disability and Autism spectrum disorder

Background Little is known about behavioural flexibility in children and adults with Angelman syndrome and whether people with this syndrome have more or less problems in being behaviourally flexible as compared with other people. Method Behavioural flexibility scores were assessed in 129 individuals with Angelman syndrome using 11 items from the Behavioural Flexibility Rating Scale-Revised (Green et al. 2007). Level of behavioural flexibility scores in individuals with Angelman syndrome (N = 129) was compared with that of people with non-specific intellectual disability (ID) ( N = 90), Down syndrome (N = 398) and Autism spectrum disorder (N = 235). Results Comparative analyses show that individuals with Angelman syndrome were more flexible than those with non-specific ID (P < 0.001) and those with Autism spectrum disorder (P < 0.01). There were no differences in behavioural flexibility scores between individuals with Angelman syndrome and those with Down syndrome (P = 0.94). Conclusion It is concluded that individuals with Angelman syndrome are comparatively flexible in their behaviour.