Submitted by Bruna Rodrigues (bruna92rodrigues@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-10-03T13:23:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMCCM.pdf: 4302375 bytes, checksum: b35a785ffde6e9fac0ef29ac58d61c15 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (bco.producao.intelectual@gmail.com) on 2018-01-29T16:17:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMCCM.pdf: 4302375 bytes, checksum: b35a785ffde6e9fac0ef29ac58d61c15 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (bco.producao.intelectual@gmail.com) on 2018-01-29T16:18:01Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMCCM.pdf: 4302375 bytes, checksum: b35a785ffde6e9fac0ef29ac58d61c15 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-29T16:26:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseMCCM.pdf: 4302375 bytes, checksum: b35a785ffde6e9fac0ef29ac58d61c15 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-06 / Não recebi financiamento / The Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) authored by Mark Sundberg provides a systematic assessment for children with autism and similar delays and has become a frequent tool among those who gives consultations in this área. Divided into five components, the VB-MAPP evaluates samples of the child’s verbal repertoire from 170 developmental milestones presented in three levels (0 -18 months, 18-30 months and 30-48). The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the VB-MAPP to the Portuguese language and propose a way to qualify professionals to implement it properly. Study 1 translated and adapted to Portuguese Chapters 1 to 6 and the corresponding protocol scoring form. Study 2 tested the effect of a Behavioral Skill Training to improve the performance of the professionals in conducting the VB-MAPP. Items from a list of skills were used to measure the performance of each participant in specific tasks (Level 1, 2 and 3) of this assessment tool. The study consisted of three phases: pretest, training and posttest. Ten participants were divided into two groups: control and experimental. Both groups performed the pretest and posttest, but the training was only mandatory for the experimental group. In the pretest phase all participants received the Portuguese version of The VBMAPP and had to assess one child each. Training phase was composed of a BST package (instruction, modeling, reharsal and feedback). Only Level 1 and 2 tasks were taught. Both groups repeated the assessment in the posttest phase, however, the experimental group had an additional task: implementing the Level 3 tasks of the VB -MAPP. Still in the posttest phase, two participants (P3 and P6), presenting lower overall performances than the other participants of the experimental group, were selected for five additional posttest sessions. The results showed that all participants in the experimental group developed skills to implement The VB-MAPP regarding Level 1 and 2 tasks. About the performance of the experimental group in Level 3 tasks, it was possible to say that generalization occurred for some, but not all behaviors. The results were higher than the pretests, but lower when compared to the Level 1 and 2 tasks. Among the factors that may have contributed to this partial result we highlight: (1) Level 3 tasks are more complex than the Levels 1 and 2 and may require evaluators with more experience (2) only some milestones were selected for Level 3 testing and not all of them. As for participants P3 and P6, after a total of six posttest viii sessions, they maintained the percentage of correct answers higher than 90% for Level 1 and 2 tasks and 85% for Level 3 tasks. / O Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) de autoria de Mark L. Sundberg oferece uma avaliação sistematizada para crianças autistas ou com atrasos similares e se tornou um instrumento de uso frequente entre aqueles que planejam e implementam atendimentos nessa área. Dividido em cinco componentes, o VB-MAPP avalia uma amostra do repertório verbal da criança a partir de 170 marcos de desenvolvimento que são apresentados em três níveis (0 -18 meses; 18-30 meses e 30-48). O objetivo do presente trabalho foi realizar a tradução e adaptação do VB-MAPP para o português, bem como, propôr uma forma de capacitar profissionais para implementá-lo adequadamente. O Estudo 1 traduziu e adaptou para o português o VB-MAPP manual capítulos 1 ao 6 e o protocolo de registro correspondente. As etapas envolveram a participação de dois tradutores independentes, avaliação de especialistas e estudo piloto. O Estudo 2 testou o efeito de um treino de habilidades comportamentais (Behavioral Skill Training- BST) para aprimorar o desempenho de profissionais da área da pedagogia e psicologia na implementação do VB-MAPP. A variável dependente foi a porcentagem de acertos de uma lista de itens, chamada de Avaliação de Desempenho, que serviu de parâmetro para mensurar as habilidades de avaliador dos participantes em tarefas de Nível 1, 2 e 3 do VB-MAPP. O estudo foi composto por 3 fases: pré-teste, treinamento e pós-teste. Dez participantes foram divididos em dois grupos: controle e experimental. Ambos os grupos particiaram da fase de pré-teste e pós- teste, porém, o treinamento foi obrigatório para o grupo experimental. Na fase do pré -teste todos receberam a versão adaptada para o português do VB-MAPP e cada participante avaliou uma criança. Depois, somente o grupo experimental passou pela fase de treinamento, sendo exposto a um pacote BST. O BST, composto por instrução, modelação, ensaio e feedback, foi a variável independente Somente habilidades de Nível 1 e 2 foram ensinadas. Na fase do pós -teste os dois grupos repetiram a avaliação do pré-teste com a mesma criança, porém, o grupo experimental teve uma tarefa adicional: implementar tarefas de Nível 3 do VB MAPP não ensinadas durante o treinamento. Nessa etapa foi observado a eficácia do treinamento em promover generalização das habilidades de avaliador para as tarefas de Nível 3. Ainda na fase de pósteste, dois participantes (P3 e P6), apresentando desempenhos gerais inferiores aos outros vi participantes do grupo experimental, foram selecionados para 05 sessões adicionais de pósteste e avaliaram novas crianças. Os resultados do primeiro pós-teste mostraram que todos os participantes do grupo experimental desenvolveram as habilidades de avaliador esperadas para implementar o VB-MAPP depois do treinamento, indicando a eficácia do BST. Em relação ao desempenho nas tarefas de Nível 3, foi possível dizer que ocorreu generalização para alguns comportamentos, mas não todos. Os resultados foram superiores aos do pré – teste, mas inferiores quando comparados com os desempenhos de Nível 1 e 2. Entre os fatores que podem ter contribuído para esse resultado parcial destacamos: (1) as tarefas de Nível 3 são mais complexas que as dos Níveis 1 e 2 e podem exigir avaliadores com maior experiência nesse tipo de tarefa (2) apenas alguns itens ou marcos foram selecionados para a testagem do Nível 3 e não a totalidade deles. Quanto aos participantes P3 e P6, após um total de seis sessões de pós- teste, mantiveram a porcentagem de acertos superior a 90% nas tarefas de Nível 1 e 2 e 85% de acertos nas tarefas de Nível 3.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-03-04Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:37:42Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 almeida_cgm_me_bauru.pdf: 1156833 bytes, checksum: 79b5efbc83058ce2c50560e71c91427f (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O presente estudo objetivou verificar os efeitos de leitura de contingências descritas em uma história sobre o desempenho verbal e não-verbal das crianças. Foram realizados três estudos com objetivos semelhantes e algumas diferenças procedimentais. Participaram onze crianças entre oito e dez anos, quatro crianças no primeiro estudo, três no segundo e quatro crianças no terceiro. O procedimento foi dividido em três etapas: (i) aplicação do WISC; (ii) etapa de ambientação; (iii) etapa experimental. Na última etapa, as crianças foram divididas em três condições. Na Condição 1, a criança foi exposta à História A, que descrevia o comportamento alvo de um garoto de pegar os doces antes da festa de aniversário. Esse comportamento supostamente não era seguido por consequência aversiva. Para avaliar a compreensão da história, o participante foi exposto a três testes de emparelhamento cujas perguntas se referiam à história. Em seguida, a criança era deixada sozinha sob filmagem. Decorridos cinco minutos, a experimentadora voltava para a sala e fazia uma sequência de perguntas que avaliavam quais eram as relações entre a história contada e o desempenho emitido e relatado pelos participantes. Após um período de atividades lúdicas, cada participante era exposto à História B, que descrevia o mesmo comportamento alvo. Dessa vez, o comportamento era seguido por consequência aversiva. Após essa leitura, as crianças eram expostas aos mesmos procedimentos subsequentes à leitura da primeira história. A Condição 2 teve a mesma sequência de passos, contudo, primeiramente foi lida a História B e depois a História A. Na Condição 3 também foi adotada a mesma sequência, porém os participantes foram expostos a outras duas histórias com temáticas semelhantes, mas sem menção aos comportamentos de pegar os doces antes da festa. Alguns resultados foram... / The purpose of the present study was to verify the effects of reading contingencies, described in a story, on verbal and nonverbal performance of children. Three studies with similar objectives and a few procedural differences were carried out. Eleven children between the ages of eight and ten participated in the studies: four children in the first study, three stages: (i) stage in which the children were submitted to WISC-tests; (ii) stage in which the children were adapting themselves to the new environment; and (iii) the experimental stage. During the last stage the children were divided into three conditions. In Condition 1, the children were exposed to Story A, which referred to the story. Then, the children were left alone and filmed. After five minutes, the person conducting the experiment went back into the room and asked a sequence of questions that assessed which were the relationships between the story told and the performance executed and reported by the subjects. After a period of ludic activities, each subject was exposed to Story B, which described the same target behavior. Only this time, the behavior was followed by an aversive consequence. After Story B was read to the first story. Condition 2 had the same sequence of steps; however, Story B was read first, followed by StoryA. The same sequence was also adopted for Condition 3; yet, the subjects were exposed to two other stories with themes that were similar to those of Story A and Story B but without mentioning the behavior of grabbing the sweets before the party. Some of the results were common to all three experiments. None of the children ate the sweets after the stories were read under all three conditions. Nevertheless, the frequency of behavior towards the sweets was higher after Story. A was read, as compared to when Story B was read, both under Condition 1 and Condition 2. Such results suggest that stories... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Doctorat en sciences psychologiques / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The current study sought to investigate whether physiological responses, such as the electrodermographic response (EDG) and/or the frontalis muscle electrical potential (EMG) could be developed as a source of control over verbal responses. Discrimination training procedures using points exchangeable for money were employed to condition verbal responses occasioned by minute interoceptive events with 2 adult human subjects. Specific verbal responses were reinforced in the presence of changes in EDG with Sl and EDG and EMG with S2. Stimulus control over differentiated verbal responses was demonstrated with both subjects. The results suggest that minute interoceptive events can enter into controlling relations with verbal responses and that this control is partially a function of the size or range of physiological responses as well as conditioning history.

The study investigated an organized semantic fluency task, (the Controlled Animal Fluency Task - CAFT) as a measure of executive functioning (EF) in adults, and the relationship with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Participants (N = 266) consisted of a clinical sample (n = 142) utilizing neuropsychological assessment data collected at an outpatient psychological center, and a community sample (n = 124). The clinical sample was a heterogeneous mixed neurological group including a variety of health conditions and comorbid anxiety and depression. The CAFT Animals by Size demonstrated a significant positive correlation with Category Fluency (r = .71, n = 142, p < .001) , Animal Fluency (r = .70, n = 142, p < .001), and with other, established neuropsychological measures. The CAFT Animals by Size condition demonstrated a significant moderate negative correlation with IADL for the sample as a whole (r = -.46, n = 248, p < .001), and for the clinical sample (r = -.38, n = 129, p < .001), but not for the community sample. In a hierarchical regression analysis, CAFT Animal by Size explained additional variance in IADL (&#916;R2 = .15). In a hierarchical regression analysis predicting IADL with the control variables entered first, followed by Category Fluency, with CAFT Animal by Size entered last, CAFT Animals by Size did not make a significant additional contribution. A stepwise forward regression indicated Category Fluency, education, and Category Switching are better predictors of IADL than CAFT Animals by Size. Normative data for the CAFT were calculated separately for age groups and education levels. Simple logistic regression indicated CAFT Animal by Size was a significant predictor of clinical or community group membership. A second logistic regression analysis indicated the CAFT Animal by Size condition improved the prediction of membership in the clinical versus the community group, compared to the MMSE alone. Applications of the CAFT are discussed.

Behavior analysts who study verbal behavior theorize that people derive relationships between stimuli - forming stimulus classes such that psychological functions transfer among stimuli and therefore affect behavior. Verbal processes are thought to play a role in cancer patients' behavioral flexibility. The current study examined if an analogue intervention produced changes in relations between health-relevant stimuli from pre- to post-test in patient and student samples. A matching-to-sample (MTS) task required participants to form three 4-member classes that included health, treatment, or neutral terms. Participants next listened to either an acceptance-based or a control-based rationale and therapy exercise, or a distracter task. Then, they were re-exposed to the MTS task. Latencies and accuracies for learning each class as well as between condition differences were examined. Finally, changes in ratings of stimuli from pre to post analogues were measured. Differences in stimuli ratings were seen in the student sample, reflecting transfer of function and some reduction in responsiveness to stimuli following intervention, but overall no learning performances are found. Discussion explores the consistency of the findings with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) theory in light of the seemingly lack of findings.

Recombinative generalization is a generative outcome that involves responding to novel stimulus combinations, and it can be facilitated through an instructional approach called matrix training. A learner's history with constituent stimuli and the arrangement of combination stimuli within the instructional matrix may affect the likelihood of recombinative generalization. To investigate this further, the current project assessed recombinative generalization with novel combinations of abstract stimuli by programming specific training histories for undergraduate student participants. The matrix training conditions were: (a) trained constituents with overlap training, (b) untrained constituents with overlap training, (c) trained constituents with nonoverlap training, and (d) untrained constituents with nonoverlap training. We evaluated whether and the extent to which recombinative generalization occurred in each matrix training condition in comparison to a condition that included training the constituents and providing a word-order rule. Finally, we compared the training trials in experimental conditions to directly training all constituents and combinations. The results suggested both overlap conditions and the trained constituents with nonoverlap condition produced recombinative generalization, and the trained constituents with nonoverlap condition was the most efficient. These results could inform the training order and stimulus arrangements practitioners employ to program for recombinative generalization.

Observing emotional responses is recognized as a valuable clinical skill in a variety of professions, including applied behavior analysis. Emotional responses can flag possible contingencies thereby guiding a behavior analyst to better select valid measures, goals, and procedures. Additionally, emotional responses can be goals in and of themselves. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a workshop on the observation and description of emotional responses by behavior analysts-in-training. The procedures included instructions, modeling, practice, discussion and feedback. The workshop included a blend of trainer presentation and interteaching strategies. The effects of the workshop were evaluated using a single-subject A-B design with multiple probe measures across four students. During probe assessments participants watched short video clips of family interactions and wrote a descriptive narrative in response to several questions. This created a permanent record for quantitative evaluation and analysis. The study resulted in an increase in the number of descriptions of emotional responses among all participants. The participants also increased responses tying the emotional response to external environmental events more often in the post-workshop assessment than the pre-workshop assessment. Results are discussed within the context of training applied behavior analysts, the analysis of verbal behavior, and the role of emotions in clinical practice.

English language learners are traditionally behind in academics such as reading, math and science. Hispanics, who make up the vast majority of English language learners, tend to not enroll in pre-school or higher education, have higher dropout rates and as adults earn less than whites. Common instructional strategies used in public schools are not meeting the needs of these students. The field of TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) has typically offered a wide variety of poorly defined teaching strategies that are not based on empirical research. Within public schools, assessment tends to serve the purpose of qualifying students for ESOL services rather than being used to guide instruction. The present study examined using the Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS) with three English language learners in an elementary public school setting to discern its usefulness for teachers and students. Results showed that the ABLLS could be used for English language learners, and teachers generally liked the assessment information, although the current assessment may be too lengthy and time intensive to be practical for regular education settings. Also, it did not appear that reviewing the ABLLS assessment had much effect on teacher behavior in terms of changes in instructional strategies used for the three students, although teachers did indicate that they would target different skills as a result of viewing the assessment. Suggestions are made for developing a modified version of the ABLLS for use with English language learners. Possible trends in student data are examined, as well as possible teaching strategies that may be suggested by the ABLLS.

A primary deficit seen in many children with autism, particularly those with limited verbal repertoires, is repetitive and rote verbal behavior. This type of repetitive or rote verbal behavior can be stigmatizing and may severely limit access to primary reinforcers. Therefore, it may be beneficial to attempt to increase response variability in verbal behavior demonstrated by children with autism. Previous researchers have focused their efforts on examining response variability in motor behavior or existing verbal behavior, rather than new or recently taught verbal behavior. A potentially complementary intervention for teaching new verbal interactions is the use of scripts and script fading procedures. However, the effect of scripts and script fading procedures on the response variability of verbal behavior remains unknown. Thus, the present study attempted to answer several research questions. First, we examined the effects on extinction on response variability of mand frames used by young children with autism that exhibit limited manding repertoires. Second, we examined the effects of script training on the variability of mand frames, and finally, the effects of extinction after teaching a variety of mand frames with children with autism. Results demonstrated that (a) extinction prior to any teaching was not successful in increasing response variability, (b) teaching multiple mand frames in a successive pattern did not increase response variability of mand frames for any of the participants, (c) extinction after teaching additional mand frames increased response variability for two of the three participants, and (d) a multiple script presentation intervention increased response variability of mand frames for one participant.