Therapist burnout is of primary concern for individuals who provide ABA therapy for those with autism or related disabilities. Prolonged high levels of work-related stress increase the risk of negative interactions and emotional exhaustion among workers. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may alleviate this problem. ACT has been found to decrease levels of perceived work-related stress among direct care staff. The primary purpose of the study was to evaluate whether ACT would improve positive interactions among therapists for children with autism spectrum disorder. The results indicated that the percentage of positive interactions had improved an average of 23.1% and procedural fidelity improved an average of 7% across all three participants. This study extends that of previous research by supporting the efficacy of ACT in work environments. One implication of the current study is that it could benefit the psychological well-being of ABA therapists. Future studies should examine whether ACT-exercises influence the way therapists address challenging behavior as it pertains to the quality of services delivered.

The Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) (Squires & Bricker, 2009) is used by pediatricians, educators, and parents to screen for developmental delays and identify children at risk for delay. The purpose of the ASQ: Social Emotional- Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) is to screen for a child’s self-regulation, compliance, communication, adaptive behaviors, autonomy, affect, and interaction with people. A recent revision of the ASQ:SE-2 included items that were intended to identify children at risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study provides an examination of the validity of the ASQ:SE-2 in identifying children at risk for ASD. In the present study, total scores on a subset of items from the ASQ:SE-2 that specifically addressed ASD were compared with results from a team clinical diagnosis of ASD for 60 children, between 18-48 months of age. When the ASD-related items were considered alone, the scores of children with ASD and those without ASD were significantly different, and there were no differences in ASQ:SE-2 total scores for children with and without ASD. These findings indicate that parents of children with ASD reported significantly more concerns on ASD-related items on the ASQ:SE-2 than parents of children without ASD. Moreover, the results suggest that an increasing ASD total item score on the broadband instrument resulted in an increased likelihood of a child receiving an ASD diagnosis.

Naturalistic behavioral interventions increase the acquisition, generalization, and maintenance of child social communication skills among children with developmental delays (DD). Teaching Assistants (TAs) are ideal interventionists for delivering social communication interventions because of the significant amount of time they spend working directly with children with DD in the preschool classroom. However, professional development for TAs is often inadequate and there has been a limited amount of research in this area. In addition, TAs are often working with more than one child at a time with varying skill levels, but no research has been conducted on the use of strategies with more than one child at a time. The current single-case research study addresses gaps in the literature by answering the following questions: (1) Is there a functional relation between coaching TAs to use EMT and increases in TA’s fidelity of implementation of EMT with a child dyad?; (2) Is there a functional relation between TA’s use of EMT and increases in child social communication skills?; and (3) Are TAs able to generalize the use of EMT across students with varying social communication skills and goals? Results suggest coaching TAs contributes to increases in fidelity of implementation of EMT strategies and subsequent increases in child social communication skills. TAs were able to generalize the use of EMT across students.

Typically developing humans innately place subjective value on social information and orient attention to it. This can be shown through eye tracking and pupillometry, a method used to show attentional engagement. Social brain development and social preference is present from infancy, and is thought to rely on a carefully balanced network of neurotransmitters and neural connections. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents altered neural systems which cause individuals to perceive and process social information differently, but the neurophysiology of this difference remains unclear. Previous research shows atypical gaze patterns, hyperarousal, and lack of orienting to social stimuli in ASD. Since autism is highly comorbid and shares traits with other neurodevelopmental disorders, it is difficult to distinguish aspects of these social processing differences. This study used a group of 35 neuropsychiatric patients to investigate how individuals with autism process social and non-social scenes. Eye tracking and pupillometry measures were collected while participants observed images of natural scenes with or without a person. Participants with autism did not show a pupillary response to social images and were slower to fixate on the face  region than the other participants. Additionally there were correlations between clinical measures of social functioning and the length of time it took to fixate to faces. The results highlight important distinctions of social processing in autism. This thesis proposes a new perspective of looking at the social deficits present in autism spectrum disorder. It suggests reframing the current discussion from two leading hypotheses to a unified approach and formally considering the limitations of differing types of stimuli.

The Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in socio communicative and behavioral dimensions. The early the diagnosis is made and started the interventions, the better will be the outcomes. The interventions must be addressed to the core needs of each subject and consists in providing, by a transdisciplinary team, services directed not only to the child, but also to the whole family. Including the family as critical piece of the intervention places them as an active agent, working side by side with the professionals in favor of the son s development. Therefore, it is necessary that the parents receive a specific training about interventions and autism, retaining this knowledge. The Family empowerment is a terminology to designate this continuous ability of groups or subjects to act for their own benefit to achieve better control over their lives and faiths. Moreover, the literature has shown that family empowerment is highly associated to gains in interventions with children with autism, highlighting its importance for intervention´s effectiveness. This study aims to measure the effects of an intervention based on parents training about the development of communicative and interactional skills of their autistic son, as well as verify the influences of this kind of intervention over family empowerment. It was used an quase experimental design, A-B type, in a single case research, where the participants was a child with ASD and 15 months old, his father and his mother. The results showed that parental training program promoted an increase in socio communicative skills of the mother-child dyad, both in joint attention and topic sharing, as in affective contact. It was observed an increase in parental empowerment levels between pre- and post-intervention, understood as an influence of the training program. Finally, it is concluded that the family centered intervention, more specifically the parental training, is shown as an available possibility to promote early development of sociocomunicativas skills of children with ASD. / O Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) é caracterizado por déficits nas dimensões sociocomunicativas e comportamentais, as quais se manifestam ainda precocemente no desenvolvimento infantil. Quanto antes for realizado o diagnóstico e iniciada a intervenção sobre essas dificuldades, melhores os resultados. As intervenções precisam ser direcionadas especificamente para as necessidades de cada indivíduo e consistem na prestação, por parte de uma equipe transdisciplinar, de serviços dirigidos não somente à criança, mas também à família. A inclusão da família como parte imprescindível da intervenção a coloca como um agente ativo, atuando ao lado dos profissionais a favor do desenvolvimento do filho. Para tanto, torna-se necessário que os pais recebam informações específicas sobre intervenção e autismo, apropriando-se destes saberes. O empoderamento familiar tem sido a terminologia utilizada para designar essa capacidade contínua para agirem em seu próprio benefício, visando a alcançar maior controle sobre suas vidas e destinos. Neste sentido, a literatura tem mostrado que o empoderamento familiar encontra-se fortemente associado aos avanços nas intervenções com crianças com deficiência, destacando sua importância para sua efetividade. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar os efeitos de uma intervenção baseada na orientação a pais sobre o desenvolvimento de habilidades comunicativas e interativas do filho com autismo, assim como relacionar as influências dessa intervenção ao empoderamento familiar. Foi utilizado um delineamento quase experimental do tipo A-B, em que os participantes foram uma criança com TEA com 15 meses de idade, seu pai e sua mãe. Os resultados mostraram que o programa de orientação a pais promoveu um aumento das habilidades sociocomunicativas da díade mãe-criança, tanto na atenção compartilhada e compartilhamento de tópico, como no contato afetivo. Foi observado o aumento dos níveis de empoderamento parental entre as fases pré e pós intervenção, sendo este entendido como uma influência do programa de orientação. Por fim, considera-se que a intervenção centrada na família, mais especificamente através da orientação parental, se mostra como uma possibilidade de favorecer o desenvolvimento precoce das habilidades sociocomunicativas de crianças com TEA.

abstract: ABSTRACT This study intended to provide people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder a creative outlet to experience dance and other art forms as a way of expressing themselves. Other potential benefits were observed throughout the exploration, including social interaction, coordination, and confidence. An interpretive phenomenological research model analyzed participant and parent verbal reflections, written feedback, and video recorded movement sessions to understand and interpret the participant's experience and the potential value of creative movement. The study was conducted over a seven-week period, which included 13, 30-minute movement sessions held biweekly along with interviews, discussions, surveys, and journaling. The research revealed dance empowered each participant to explore his/her creativity and exercise personal expression. The feedback received from the participants and parents through interviews and reflections revealed the participants did exercise and discover social, physical, emotional, and creative expression throughout the study. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Dance 2015

Orientador: Luciana Pinato / Banca: Pedro Augusto Carlos Magno Fernandes / Banca: Roberta Gonçalves da Silva / Resumo: O Transtorno do espectro do autismo (TEA) é um conjunto de afecções do neurodesenvolvimento que comprometem principalmente a interação social, a comunicação e o comportamento. Na sintomatologia do TEA destaca-se a alta prevalência de distúrbios severos no ritmo sono-vigília. Uma das possíveis causas de problemas na qualidade do sono em crianças seria o padrão anormal da produção de melatonina, hormônio produzido pela glândula pineal, capaz de modular a qualidade do sono, graças à sua função como transdutora da informação fotoperiódica ambiental, além disso, esta molécula é controlada por moléculas que sinalizam inflamação. O presente estudo correlaciona o conteúdo do metabólito da melatonina, 6-Sulfatoximelatonina (aMT6s) à distúrbios do sono e às citocinas TNF e IL-6 em TEA. Participaram do estudo 36 indivíduos, de ambos os gêneros, idade entre 4-18 anos (média de 9,7 +/- 4,1), divididos em Grupo pesquisa (GP): 18 indivíduos com TEA e Grupo controle (GC): 18 indivíduos controles. Dentre os indivíduos do GP, quanto ao diagnóstico, 56% apresentaram autismo, 17% PDD-NOS (Transtorno Invasivo do Desenvolvimento Sem Outra Especificação) e 28% síndrome de Asperger. Para a caracterização dos distúrbios do sono e comportamento foi utilizada a Escala de Distúrbios... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that involve mainly social interaction, communication and behavior. On the symptomatology of ASD highlights the high prevalence of sleep-wake cycle disturbances. One of the causes of sleep disturbances in children is the abnormal pattern in the melatonin production by the pineal gland. This hormone can modulate the quality of sleep due to its function as transducing photoperiodic information from the environment. Besides being controlled by the photoperiodic information melatonin synthesis also is controlled by signaling molecules inflammation. The present study correlates sleep disorders with the contents of aMT6s, TNF and IL-6 in TEA. 36 individuals, of both genders, aged 4-18 years (mean 9.7 + / - 4.1), were analyzed being 18 individuals with ASD (research group - GP) and 18 control subjects (control group-GC). In the GP regarding the diagnosis, 56% had autism, 17% PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) and 28% Asperger syndrome. For the sleep disorders and behavior characterization were used respectively the Escale of Sleep Disorders in Children (ESDC) and Child Behavior Checklist - CBCL. The measurements of aMT6s, TNF and IL-6 contents were performed on urine or saliva by ELISA. For data analysis we used descriptive statistics, Mann- Whitney U test for comparison between two groups and linear correlation coefficient of Spearman, the value of significance was 5%. The ESDC showed that 44% of GP individuals have at least one type of sleep disorder, and the GP has higher scores than the CG in the disorder of onset and sleep maintenance. Individuals of the GP had higher scores compared to the GC for total behavior problems, withdrawal problems, social problems, thought and attention problems... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-04-29Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:10:39Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 fadini_cc_me_mar.pdf: 835978 bytes, checksum: 411bc38e03fb65350821075ee6cef907 (MD5) / O Transtorno do espectro do autismo (TEA) é um conjunto de afecções do neurodesenvolvimento que comprometem principalmente a interação social, a comunicação e o comportamento. Na sintomatologia do TEA destaca-se a alta prevalência de distúrbios severos no ritmo sono-vigília. Uma das possíveis causas de problemas na qualidade do sono em crianças seria o padrão anormal da produção de melatonina, hormônio produzido pela glândula pineal, capaz de modular a qualidade do sono, graças à sua função como transdutora da informação fotoperiódica ambiental, além disso, esta molécula é controlada por moléculas que sinalizam inflamação. O presente estudo correlaciona o conteúdo do metabólito da melatonina, 6-Sulfatoximelatonina (aMT6s) à distúrbios do sono e às citocinas TNF e IL-6 em TEA. Participaram do estudo 36 indivíduos, de ambos os gêneros, idade entre 4-18 anos (média de 9,7 +/- 4,1), divididos em Grupo pesquisa (GP): 18 indivíduos com TEA e Grupo controle (GC): 18 indivíduos controles. Dentre os indivíduos do GP, quanto ao diagnóstico, 56% apresentaram autismo, 17% PDD-NOS (Transtorno Invasivo do Desenvolvimento Sem Outra Especificação) e 28% síndrome de Asperger. Para a caracterização dos distúrbios do sono e comportamento foi utilizada a Escala de Distúrbios... / The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that involve mainly social interaction, communication and behavior. On the symptomatology of ASD highlights the high prevalence of sleep-wake cycle disturbances. One of the causes of sleep disturbances in children is the abnormal pattern in the melatonin production by the pineal gland. This hormone can modulate the quality of sleep due to its function as transducing photoperiodic information from the environment. Besides being controlled by the photoperiodic information melatonin synthesis also is controlled by signaling molecules inflammation. The present study correlates sleep disorders with the contents of aMT6s, TNF and IL-6 in TEA. 36 individuals, of both genders, aged 4-18 years (mean 9.7 + / - 4.1), were analyzed being 18 individuals with ASD (research group - GP) and 18 control subjects (control group-GC). In the GP regarding the diagnosis, 56% had autism, 17% PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified) and 28% Asperger syndrome. For the sleep disorders and behavior characterization were used respectively the Escale of Sleep Disorders in Children (ESDC) and Child Behavior Checklist - CBCL. The measurements of aMT6s, TNF and IL-6 contents were performed on urine or saliva by ELISA. For data analysis we used descriptive statistics, Mann- Whitney U test for comparison between two groups and linear correlation coefficient of Spearman, the value of significance was 5%. The ESDC showed that 44% of GP individuals have at least one type of sleep disorder, and the GP has higher scores than the CG in the disorder of onset and sleep maintenance. Individuals of the GP had higher scores compared to the GC for total behavior problems, withdrawal problems, social problems, thought and attention problems... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Em alguns casos do Transtorno do Espectro Autístico (TEA) ocorre, nos primeiros anos de vida, perda de palavras recém-adquiridas, fenômeno denominado “regressão da linguagem”. Para investigar esse fenômeno foram desenvolvidos três estudos. O primeiro objetivou revisar a literatura acerca da regressão. Observou-se uma lacuna quanto a explicações teóricas sobre o fenômeno e seu impacto no desenvolvimento posterior de indivíduos com TEA. O estudo seguinte propôs-se a identificar as características da regressão e da sintomatologia de crianças com TEA. A perda de habilidades ocorreu em 20% das crianças, sendo o direcionamento da atenção e a conversação recíproca alguns dos comportamentos mais comprometidos. O terceiro estudo investigou o efeito da regressão da linguagem no desenvolvimento sociocomunicativo posterior de crianças pré-escolares com TEA. Não se observou diferença estatisticamente significativa, nessa área desenvolvimental, entre os grupos com e sem regressão da linguagem. Os achados dessas pesquisas são discutidos à luz da abordagem sociopragmática. / In some cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in the first years of life occurs the loss of newly acquired words, a phenomenon called "language regression". To investigate this phenomenon three studies were developed. The first one aimed to review the literature on regression. It was noticed a gap of theoretical explanations about the phenomenon and its impact on the overall development of individuals with ASD. The next study intended to identify the characteristics of regression and symptomatology of children with ASD. The loss of skills occurred in 20% of the children. The abilities of directing attention and reciprocal conversation, among others, were more impaired. The third study investigated the effect of language regression on the subsequent social-communicative development of preschool children with ASD. It was not observed any statistically significant difference in this developmental area, between the groups with and without language regression. The findings of these researches are discussed in light of the socio-pragmatic approach.

Essa dissertação teve como objetivo investigar as funções executivas em crianças e adolescentes com Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo (TEA). No primeiro estudo, foi feita uma revisão sistemática de publicações de 2001 a 2011, que avaliaram as funções executivas nessa amostra. No segundo estudo, foi feita uma comparação de desempenho de dois grupos de crianças e adolescentes, um grupo com diagnóstico de TEA (n=11) e um grupo controle com desenvolvimento típico (n=19), em tarefas de funções executivas e memória de trabalho. Concluiu-se que, embora o estudo de revisão tenha encontrado evidências de componentes executivos intactos (resolução de problemas, memória de trabalho) e disfuncionais (planejamento, flexibilidade, fluência verbal, inibição) nas amostras com TEA, o estudo empírico indicou desempenho inferior do grupo TEA em todas as tarefas de funções executivas e memória de trabalho, envolvendo componentes do controle inibitório, da flexibilidade cognitiva, do planejamento, de memória de trabalho e de fluência verbal. / This dissertation aimed to investigate executive function in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). In the first study, we performed a systematic review of publications from 2001 to 2011, which assessed executive function in this sample. In the second study, was done a performance comparison of two groups of children and adolescents, a group with ASD (n=11) and a control group with typical development (n=19), in tasks of executive function and working memory. It was concluded that, although the review study has found evidence of intact (problem-solving, working memory) and dysfunctional (planning, flexibility, verbal fluency, inhibition) executive components in samples with ASD, the empirical study indicated lower performance of executive function in ASD group, involving components of inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, planning, working memory and verbal fluency.