RESUMO Esta pesquisa objetivou detectar e intervir nas dificuldades de linguagem e comportamento em crianças de três e quatro anos de idade. Foram avaliadas 178 crianças nas áreas de comportamento, vocabulário expressivo e receptivo e processamento auditivo central. O grupo experimental, com 84 crianças, foi submetido à intervenção para o desenvolvimento e aprimoramento de linguagem e manejo de comportamentos-problema por meio de atividades desenvolvidas em aplicativos usados em tablets, jogos concretos e orientações fornecidas a seus pais e professores por uma equipe de fonoaudiólogos, psicólogos e psicopedagogos. As análises do pós-teste indicaram diferença significativa entre os resultados dos testes de vocabulário e comportamento, sugerindo que esse modelo de avaliação e intervenção precoce pode ser uma estratégia bem-sucedida em ambiente escolar.

Abstract This project had the aim of detecting and intervening in difficulties of language and behavior in children at the age of three and four. A hundred seventy-eight children were assessed in behavior, expressive and receptive vocabulary and in central auditory processing. 84 children constituted the experimental group and were engaged in an intervention for the development and refinement of language and management of behavior problems through activities developed in software used in tablets, concrete games and orientation provided to their parents and teachers by a professional team composed by speech therapists, psychologists and psycho pedagogues. Posttest analysis indicated significant difference between the vocabulary and language scores, suggesting that this model of early assessment and intervention can be a successful strategy in school environments.

Abstract Autism is defined by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction in multiple contexts as well as restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. There are also reported difficulties in the dynamic activation and modification of cognitive processes in response to changes in tasks’ demands. Such difficulties are believed to be due to poor flexible cognition. This research aimed to assess and intervene in cognitive flexibility in subjects with autism. Ten subjects diagnosed with autism by psychiatrists, aged 5 years to 13 years and 5 months, were assessed in non-verbal intelligence through Raven’s Progressive Matrices in pretest. They were also assessed in cognitive flexibility through Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and in patterns of social interactions, behaviors, and communication through Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). An intervention program of 14 to 21 sessions was established to enhance cognitive flexibility. In posttest, they were assessed in WCST and ADI-R. All measures of cognitive flexibility improved in posttest except for failure to maintain set. Among the measures improved in posttest, perseverative errors and responses improved in posttest with statistical significance as well as categories completed. Total scores on ADI-R were lower in posttest as well as scores on communication abilities. The qualitative improvement showed by the individuals of this research concerning cognitive flexibility and also patterns of restricted behavior, social interaction, and communication abilities suggests that individuals with autism can benefit from the development of strategies for the enhancement of cognitive flexibility. Nevertheless, more research is suggested with a larger sample among subjects on the autism spectrum.

Este estudo avaliou a consciência sintática de dez sujeitos no espectro do autismo (com idades entre 5 anos e 7 meses e 14 anos e 8 meses) e investigou o papel que a consciência sintática desempenha nos padrões de linguagem desses sujeitos. Constatou-se a existência de diferentes perfis linguísticos por meio da Prova de Consciência Sintática (Adaptada). Foram detectados quatro subgrupos com:(a) desempenho inferior em correção de frases agramaticais e frases agramaticais e assemânticas; (b) desempenho inferior em correção de frases agramaticais e assemânticas; (c) desempenho mediano em todos os subtestes e acima da média em julgamento gramatical; e (d) desempenho superior nos quatro subtestes. Esses resultados não são generalizáveis para a população de sujeitos com autismo, mas revelaram evidências da interferência das falhas de habilidades presentes no espectro do autismo nas habilidades envolvidas na realização das tarefas.

Ten subjects on the autism spectrum (ages ranging from 5 years and 7 months and 14 years and 8 months) were evaluated with the aim of detecting the existence of syntactic awareness and the role it plays in the patterns of language of these subjects. The existence of different language profiles was found through the Syntactic Awareness Test (adapted version). Four subgroups were detected: (a) inferior performance in the correction of ungrammatical sentences and of ungrammatical and non-semantic sentences; (b) inferior performance in the correction of ungrammatical and non-semantic sentences; (c) average performance in all subtests and above average in grammatical judgment; and (d) superior performance in all four subtests. These results are not generalizable for subjects with autism, but reveal evidence of failures in abilities that are present on the autism spectrum with the abilities required for the accomplishment of the tasks.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar consciência sintática, coerência central, inteligência não-verbal, desenvolvimento social e da comunicação, comportamentos e interesses de crianças no espectro autístico e verificar suas prováveis correlações. MÉTODOS: Participaram dez sujeitos diagnosticados dentro do espectro autístico, que utilizavam linguagem oral para a comunicação, sendo oito do gênero masculino e dois do gênero feminino, com idades entre 4 anos e 9 meses e 13 anos e 4 meses (média de idade de 9 anos). Foram utilizadas as provas de: Consciência Sintática (Adaptada); Quebra-cabeça computadorizados com figura e fundo e somente com fundo; e Matrizes Progressivas Coloridas de Raven - Escala Especial. Os pais dos sujeitos responderam ao protocolo Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R). RESULTADOS: As crianças com autismo apresentaram desempenho em consciência sintática similar ao de crianças de desenvolvimento típico com 6 anos de idade. Do total, 60% das crianças apresentaram nível de inteligência não-verbal médio ou superior. Não houve correlações entre os desempenhos em consciência sintática e as outras variáveis testadas. CONCLUSÃO: Não houve relação entre o desempenho em consciência sintática e os resultados referentes a coerência central, inteligência não-verbal, falhas na interação social, dificuldades de comunicação e padrões restritos de interesses dos sujeitos com autismo. Os resultados fornecem indicações de que essas crianças parecem acompanhar o padrão de desenvolvimento em consciência sintática das crianças de desenvolvimento típico de 6 anos de idade, porém com atraso.

PURPOSE: To evaluate syntactic awareness, central coherence, non-verbal intelligence, social and communication development, interests and behavior of children with autistic spectrum disorders and to examine their probable correlations. METHODS: Participants were ten subjects diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder, eight male and two female, with ages between 4 years e 9 months and 13 years and 4 months (mean age 9 years), who used oral language for communication. The following tests were used: Syntactic Awareness Test - Adapted (Prova de Consciência Sintática - Adaptada), Computerized jigsaw puzzles with picture and background and only with background; and Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices - Special Scale. Subjects' parents answered the protocol Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R). RESULTS: The children with autism presented syntactic awareness performance similar to that of 6-year-old children with typical development. Sixty percent of the subjects showed non-verbal intelligence at a superior or average level. There were no correlations between the performances in syntactic awareness and the other tested variables. CONCLUSION: There was no relationship between the performance in syntactic awareness and the results related to central coherence, non-verbal intelligence and social interaction deficits, difficulties in communication and restrict patterns interests of subjects with autism. The results suggest that these children seem to follow the development pattern of typically developing 6-year-old children in syntactic awareness abilities, only delayed.