Stereotypic behavior was examined in a group of five multiply handicapped children (4-10 years old) over a 2-year span. Observational data were collected at 6-month intervals in the form of 2-minute running descriptions of the child's behavior and the general setting, or condition, of the behavior (e.g., unattended, or stressed). Results revealed that the repertoire of stereotypies was quite constant over the 2-year span, especially for three of the five Ss. Individual differences did emerge, however, in terms of relative proportion of time spent in stereotypic behavior. Stereotypy remained very high for all Ss in the unattended condition. Contingency tables were constructed to examine the specific stereotypies characteristic of each child and the conditions accompanying them. Although data revealed a significant association between condition and type of stereotypy in every case, there was no apparent general principle for relating stereotypy and condition across children. (CL)