Autistic spectrum behaviours (Section A): biological, individual and social explanations of autism, and one therapy or intervention used to support autistic people.

What this dot point is asking

For autistic spectrum behaviours you must give a biological, an individual (cognitive) and a social explanation, and describe one therapy or intervention used to support autistic people. As with the other behaviours, the three-explanation-plus-intervention structure is the key.

Biological explanation

This explanation has good twin-study support and fits the early onset of autism, but it is reductionist, the genetics are complex and incomplete, and twin data are correlational.

Individual (cognitive) explanation

The individual (cognitive) explanation focuses on differences in information processing. The theory of mind account argues that some autistic people find it harder to attribute mental states (beliefs, intentions) to others, which can affect social communication; this is tested with false-belief tasks such as the Sally-Anne task. Weak central coherence is a second account, describing a processing style that focuses on detail rather than the overall picture, which can explain both difficulties (missing context) and strengths (attention to detail). This explanation links to social-communication features, but theory-of-mind difficulty is not universal and the framing as a "deficit" is debated.

Social explanation

The social explanation considers the role of the social environment in autistic behaviours and their support. Social interaction and the responsiveness of the environment can shape the development of communication and social skills, and a supportive, structured social setting can improve outcomes, whereas a poor fit between the person and their environment can increase difficulties. (Note that social explanations do not claim parenting causes autism, an idea long rejected.) This level highlights how environment and support matter, but it is harder to test than the biological account.

Therapy or intervention

Common interventions are behavioural programmes based on operant conditioning (such as applied behaviour analysis), which use reinforcement to build communication, social and daily-living skills, and communication systems such as PECS (the picture exchange communication system) for those with limited speech. Social-skills training and structured, predictable environments also help.

Examples in context

Example 1. The Sally-Anne task. A child is shown Sally hiding a marble and leaving; Anne moves it. Asked where Sally will look, a child who passes the false-belief task understands Sally holds a false belief. This task is the classic test behind the theory-of-mind explanation.

Example 2. PECS in a classroom. A non-speaking pupil exchanges a picture card to request a snack, gaining a reliable way to communicate. This shows a communication intervention supporting social interaction.

Try this

Q1. Name the cognitive account that involves difficulty attributing mental states to others. [1 mark]

• Cue. Theory of mind (sometimes called "mind-blindness").

Q2. Outline the biological explanation of autistic spectrum behaviours. [3 marks]

• Cue. Autism is neurodevelopmental and highly heritable, with many contributing genes and differences in brain development, present from early life.

Q3. Explain one strength and one weakness of a behavioural intervention for autism. [4 marks]

• Cue. Strength: measurable, evidence-based gains in skills. Weakness: intensive and costly, and criticised for promoting conformity over respecting neurodiversity.