Contribuições da Análise do Comportamento Aplicada (ABA) para adaptação escolar de crianças pré-escolares com autismo.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze whether an intervention anchored in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies can facilitate the school adaptation process in children with autism. The participants of the study were three children with autism, enrolled in classes of preschools in the city of Pelotas and their respective teachers. The methodology used in the study was a single case research, through a multiple-base delineation across participants, whose data collection occurred in two phases (A and B). An intervention based on ABA strategies was implemented, according to the characteristics of each student and the activities of each class. The data collected refer to three variables: participation time in activities, time out of activities in which students remained engaged in disruptive behaviors and frequency of interaction with peers and teachers. These variables are possible indicators that the child is or is not adapted to school. The results show a significant increase in participation and interaction for all participants, and a reduction in the emission of disruptive behaviors, which kept them out of activities. It is understood as necessary, future studies that address the issue of school adaptation and the use of behavioral strategies in order to facilitate this process with a larger number of participants and with more intensive monitoring.