Can reducing insistence on sameness improve adaptive functioning in autism?

PostedDecember 10, 2025

UpdatedDecember 19, 2025

ByMy Patient Advice

Author: Beatrice Holloway, MSc | Reviewed by: Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

The link between autism and adaptive functioning is closely tied to how individuals manage sameness behaviours. While routines provide comfort, excessive rigidity can make it harder to cope with change. Research suggests that working on flexibility may strengthen autism and adaptive functioning, improving independence and confidence in daily life.

For example, developing daily living skills in autism such as dressing, cooking, or travelling often requires flexibility. If insistence on sameness dominates, these skills may become limited to narrow routines. However, gradual insistence on sameness reduction can help individuals practise adjusting to new tasks, environments, or social expectations. By building resilience to small changes, long-term growth in adaptive functioning becomes possible. Over time, this supports greater independence in autism, allowing individuals to manage transitions at home, school, or work with less anxiety.

How reducing rigidity can support growth

Here are a few ways reduced sameness behaviours may improve adaptive skills:

Improved problem-solving

Flexibility allows individuals to find new ways of completing everyday tasks.

Greater social participation

Being open to small changes helps with joining group activities or adapting to others’ routines.

Stronger independence

Adjusting to unexpected events, like transport delays, makes living independently more achievable.

By focusing on flexibility while respecting the need for structure, families and professionals can enhance adaptive functioning in practical, meaningful ways.

Visit providers like Autism Detect for personal consultations and tailored support.

For a deeper dive into the science, diagnosis, and full treatment landscape, read our complete guide to Insistence on Sameness.

Beatrice Holloway, MSc

Author

Beatrice Holloway is a clinical psychologist with a Master’s in Clinical Psychology and a BS in Applied Psychology. She specialises in CBT, psychological testing, and applied behaviour therapy, working with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental delays, and learning disabilities, as well as adults with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, OCD, and substance use disorders. Holloway creates personalised treatment plans to support emotional regulation, social skills, and academic progress in children, and delivers evidence-based therapy to improve mental health and well-being across all ages.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the author's privacy.

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez, MBBS

Reviewer

Dr. Rebecca Fernandez is a UK-trained physician with an MBBS and experience in general surgery, cardiology, internal medicine, gynecology, intensive care, and emergency medicine. She has managed critically ill patients, stabilised acute trauma cases, and provided comprehensive inpatient and outpatient care. In psychiatry, Dr. Fernandez has worked with psychotic, mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, applying evidence-based approaches such as CBT, ACT, and mindfulness-based therapies. Her skills span patient assessment, treatment planning, and the integration of digital health solutions to support mental well-being.

All qualifications and professional experience stated above are authentic and verified by our editorial team. However, pseudonym and image likeness are used to protect the reviewer's privacy.