WHAT IS PERSEVERATION?
Perseveration is the uncontrolled repetition or continuation of a response (e.g., behavior, word, thought, activity, strategy, or emotion) in the absence of an ongoing occasion or rationale for that behavior or emotion (e.g., the topic or task requirements have changed). Perseverative behavior generally interferes with learning and adaptive behavior (e.g., effective interaction, on-task behavior, flexible shifting among topics and activities), and is believed to result from neurologic impairment. Some authorities distinguish among three types of perseveration:(1) Stuck-in-set perseveration, which is the uncontrolled and extended maintenance of a thought, activity, emotion, problem-solving strategy, or topic in conversation; (2) Recurrent perseveration, which is the uncontrolled repetition or recurrence of a word or phrase when it no longer contributes to meaning; (3) Continuous perseveration, which is the uncontrolled and uninterrupted repetition of a behavior (e.g., motor act) beyond
