Efeitos de um ensino remoto de treino de comunicação funcional para cuidadores de crianças no espectro autista com comportamentos disruptivos com função de fuga

Abstract

Disruptive behaviors in ASD may have a communicative function and be maintained by social reinforcers, negatively impacting the social interaction and quality of life of individuals with ASD and their caregivers. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of remote teaching of Functional Communication Training (FCT), using video modeling (VM) with descriptive feedback on the accuracy of the participants-applicators' performance in the execution of FCT. A non-concurrent multiple baseline design was used in the following conditions: 1) baseline; 2) FCT (six steps); 3) post-test and 4) follow-up. Each training session consisted of: (a) presentation of the target step videos; (b) five role-play trials, each followed by descriptive feedback for the FCT items. A confederate simulated the behavior of a child with disruptive behavior with an escape function. The criterion for the participant-applicant to continue in the research was 35% or less correct answers at baseline, and the criterion for learning was 90% or more correct answers in two consecutive sessions or 100% in one session. The results indicate that: 1) the use of VM with descriptive feedback in teaching a FCT in the remote modality was effective; 2) all participants met the learning criteria; 3) the level of difficulty perceived by the caregivers was related to the number of errors; 4) at follow-up all participants obtained 100% correct answers. Although it was not the objective, the caregivers reported that they applied the FCT items with their children learned in a simulated way with significant results