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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A perturbação do Espectro do Autismo (PEA) é uma perturbação do neurodesenvolvimento
em que uma das características mais relevantes é a existência de défice na interação social
verificando-se também, frequentemente, alterações nas Funções Executivas. Embora tanto os
défices sociais quanto os défices nas Funções (FE) tenham sido extensivamente estudados
separadamente, tem havido poucas pesquisas sobre a relação entre FE e a função social em
crianças com PEA. O objectivo do presente estudo foi avaliar as funções executivas na PEA e
estudar a sua relação com o comportamento social em crianças e jovens com Perturbação do
Especto do Autismo (PEA) e com desenvolvimento típico (DT).
Numa primeira parte procurou-se avaliar as FE dos dois grupos através de métodos diretos, ou
seja, do desempenho das tarefas neuropsicológicas, i.e, memória de dígitos (direto e inverso),
Fluência Verbal (Semântica e Fonética), Trilhas (A e B) e através de métodos indiretos, com
aplicação de um Inventário Comportamental de avaliação de Funções Executivas (ICAFE-C)
(Goia et al., 2000) aos pais das crianças e da aplicação da escala de socialização da Escala de
Comportamento Adaptativo de Vineland-II (Sparrow et al., 2005). Numa segunda parte
verificou-se a relação entre as funções executivas avaliadas de forma direta e indireta com a
capacidade de socialização.
Face aos objectivos propostos, foram estudadas 19 crianças com Perturbação do Espectro do
Autismo e 18 crianças com desenvolvimento típico com idades compreendidas entre os oito e
os 15 anos. Os resultados obtidos indicam que apenas são identificadas diferenças
significativas entre os dois grupos nas FE avaliadas através de métodos indiretos (avaliação
comportamental efectuada pelos pais). No que diz respeito ao segundo objectivo do estudo,
identificámos uma relação significativa entre capacidade de socialização e FE do dia-a-dia,
tanto para a Componente Regulação de Comportamento como para a Componente
Metacognição, para os dois grupos, embora se destaque a forte correlação do domínio da
Metacognição, mais precisamente para as funções Memória de Trabalho e a
Planificação/Organização para o grupo com PEA. Estes resultados sugerem que menores
capacidades sociais podem beneficiar com intervenções que incluam o desenvolvimento das
FE no geral, e para os sujeitos com PEA nível 1, das funções metacognitivas em particular.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core deficits in social function and, frequently, changes in Executive Functions. Although both social deficits and executive function (EF) deficits have been extensively studied separately, there has been little research on the relationship between EF and social function in children with ASD. The aim of the present study was to evaluate executive functions in ASD and to study its relationship with the social component in children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and with typical development (TD). First, we tried to evaluate the EF of the two groups using direct methods namely, the performance of neuropsychological tasks, i.e., digit memory (direct and inverse), Verbal Fluency (Semantics and Phonetics), TMT (A and B) and through indirect methods, with the application of a Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF) (Goia et al., 2000) to the children's parents, and the socialization domain evaluated with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Sparrow et al., 2005). Secondly, it was verified the relationship between executive functions, assessed directly and indirectly, with the ability to socialize. In view of the proposed objectives, 19 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and 18 children with typical development aged between eight and 15 years were studied. The results obtained indicate that only through indirect methods (daily behavioral assessment carried out by parents) are identified significant differences between the two groups in EF. Regarding the second objective of the study, we identified a significant relationship between the ability to socialize and day-to-day EF, for the Behavior Regulation Component and the Metacognition Component for both groups despite the strong correlation for the Metacognition domain, namely for the Working Memory functions and Planning / Organization for the group with ASD. These results suggest that lower social capabilities can benefit from interventions that include the development of EF, and specially for individuals with PEA level 1, of metacognitive functions.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core deficits in social function and, frequently, changes in Executive Functions. Although both social deficits and executive function (EF) deficits have been extensively studied separately, there has been little research on the relationship between EF and social function in children with ASD. The aim of the present study was to evaluate executive functions in ASD and to study its relationship with the social component in children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and with typical development (TD). First, we tried to evaluate the EF of the two groups using direct methods namely, the performance of neuropsychological tasks, i.e., digit memory (direct and inverse), Verbal Fluency (Semantics and Phonetics), TMT (A and B) and through indirect methods, with the application of a Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF) (Goia et al., 2000) to the children's parents, and the socialization domain evaluated with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (Sparrow et al., 2005). Secondly, it was verified the relationship between executive functions, assessed directly and indirectly, with the ability to socialize. In view of the proposed objectives, 19 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and 18 children with typical development aged between eight and 15 years were studied. The results obtained indicate that only through indirect methods (daily behavioral assessment carried out by parents) are identified significant differences between the two groups in EF. Regarding the second objective of the study, we identified a significant relationship between the ability to socialize and day-to-day EF, for the Behavior Regulation Component and the Metacognition Component for both groups despite the strong correlation for the Metacognition domain, namely for the Working Memory functions and Planning / Organization for the group with ASD. These results suggest that lower social capabilities can benefit from interventions that include the development of EF, and specially for individuals with PEA level 1, of metacognitive functions.
Description
Keywords
Perturbação do Espectro do Autismo Desenvolvimento típico Funções executivas Métodos diretos Métodos indiretos Metacognição Regulação de comportamento Memória de trabalho Planificação Autism Spectrum Disorder Typical development Executive functions Direct methods Indirect methods Metacognition Behavior regulation Working memory Planning