5 results
Impacts of visual neurorehabilitation on autistic children
- D. A. Marinho, D. R. M. Avejonas, L. Rhein
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, p. S331
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Introduction
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a qualitative deficit in social interaction that can be manifested by two of the following characteristics: a) deficits in the use of non-verbal behaviors, such as eye contact, facial expressions, body postures and gestures used to regulate the social interaction; b) inability to develop peer relationships in an adequate manner compatible with their level of development; c) absence of the spontaneous tendency to share emotions, interests and objects; d) lack of social and emotional reciprocity. Among these characteristics, we can mention the difficulty in establishing and maintaining eye contact as one of the points that make it more difficult to develop important skills for learning in general.
ObjectivesThe present study aims to investigate the impacts of visual neurorehabilitation on autistic children.
MethodsThe online questionnaire based on the emotional and functional development scale (FEDQ) of the DIR/Floortime model was distributed to parents and professionals as of October 15, 2022. To date, the Visual Contact Protocol has been applied to 34 children.
ResultsThe protocol has been applied to 34 children so far.The collection suggests that when we favor the visual contact of the autistic, the motor, cognitive, linguistic, emotional and especially social learning prove to be facilitated
ConclusionsDiscussion
Vision is the master of all the senses. When the child is born, his visual ability is very limited. As she grows functional visual skills (HVF) develop. When we talk about the autistic child, these abilities may not be well defined.The collection suggests that when we favor the visual contact of the autistic, the motor, cognitive, linguistic, emotional and especially social learning prove to be facilitated. When observing the children in speech therapy, a better engagement was verified during the execution of the activities suggested by the therapist. Vision is a learned process that adds meaning to what is seen. There is still a lot of research to be done, but by providing the possibility of visual screening to the autistic child, we give them the opportunity to explore the world, get to know and recognize the environments that surround them and consequently improve their learning.Keywords: autism, visual neurorehabilitation.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Interfaces between Biological Theory of Human Development and DIR/Floortime in the understanding and treatment of autism
- P. M. Pacheco, M. D. S. Pacheco, D. R. Molini-Avejonas
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, pp. S741-S742
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Introduction
Autism can be described as a mental disorder that displays social interactions and communication impairments as well as a restricted range of activities or interests. Since autism is different for each individual, possible treatments are challenging and should consider individual characteristics at all times. Interactions with peers, family, and teachers are challenging for those with autism as they usually lack behaviors such as eye contact, playing, and talking with other people. It is common to observe sensorial issues as hypersensitivity in these individuals. Patients may have visual, auditive, or even tactile dysfunctions.
Dir/Floortime is a comprehensive model that gives theoretical support and methodological approach to lead to development focusing on the development of individual capacities for sensorial organization, motor planning, language, and many abilities that provide a development trail that will help individuals to achieve essential milestones to infants and adolescents. The DIR/Floortime is based on the development as a lifespan event, individual differences, and relationships established with peers and any other people in the child´s context.
ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to demonstrate that the DIR/Floortime is a comprehensive method of study and intervention since it matches all necessary characteristics to produce development.
MethodsIt was performed a theoretic approach of both DIR/Floortime and Biological Theory of Human Development in search of basis in a contextualist theory to explain a practical method of intervention.
ResultsPsychological theories about human development are important tools for understanding the way individuals interact with their context and produce changes in biopsychosocial characteristics. The Bioecological theory of Human Development is a contextualist theory that considers the interactions established between individuals through a model called PPCT, with their characteristics with people, objects, and symbols through interactions known as proximal processes, considered to be meaningful interactions, occurring frequently, through a long time.
ConclusionsThe TBDH through the PPCT model can show that the DIR/Floortime presented itself as an efficient method for the treatment of autism since it considers the personal characteristics of the patients, especially their sensory and motor characteristics (Personal Characteristics such as Resource, Demand, and Force). This method has in significant interaction the most efficient way to produce development (equivalent to proximal Proximal Processes), takes into account the contexts where the developing individual attends, especially home, school and therapy, and has time as an essential factor for development to occur.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Stressful events among adolescents from public schools in a community in Brazil
- P. M. Pacheco, M. D. S. Pacheco, D. R. Molini-Avejonas
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, p. S907
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Introduction
Adolescence can be seen as a fundamental stage of life for the construction of the subject, resulting from childhood experiences and decisive for adulthood. It is common stressors to appear during adolescence, due to the lack of necessary resources to deal with a stressful problem or event. In this way, the evaluation of a stressful situation by the adolescent is important, because from it he will develop coping strategies that will help him to deal with the problem.
Stressful life experiences, whether important events or even common annoyances, threaten the adolescent’s well-being, in addition to being linked to mental health and behavior problems, both internalizing ones, such as isolation, somatic complaints and anxiety/depression, as well as externalizing factors such as breaking rules and aggressive behavior. Romantic relationships are related to a major source of stress in the lives of these young people when conflicts, jealousy, aggression and infidelity occur, and have a great impact on the mental health of the individuals involved. Breakups, for example, have been linked to the onset of clinical depression in adolescents.
There are three categories of concern for adolescents: (a) related to achievements, such as success in school or opportunity for success in the future; (b) relationships with colleagues or family members; and (c) social problems such as the environment, poverty and unemployment.
ObjectivesTo identify and describe stressful life events in adolescents from public schools in a poor community in Brazil.
MethodsThe study included 64 adolescents, boys (51.56%) and girls (48.43%), aged between 12 and 16 years old (average 13.76%). The Adolescent Perceived Events Scale (APES) was used, which consists of 90 items that correspond to events that may occur in the adolescent’s daily life.
ResultsThe most significant stressors for the adolescents in this study were those dealing with the death of close people, such as a friend (100%), a family member (96.29%) and a relative (94.73%). Also appearing as major stressors were “plans that did not work” (91.89%), use of alcohol or drugs by family members (87.5%), loss of a job by parents (75%), imprisonment of a family member (75%), fights with boyfriend or girlfriend (86.66%), breakup (75%) and concern about their own appearance (76.52%).
ConclusionsEvents referring to interpersonal relationships were considered the greatest stressors, with percentages above 80%. The present study contributed to the understanding of adolescents’ perceptions of their life events. In this way, we can understand the relationship between stressors and the coping strategies. Furthermore, it allows the proposition of preventive intervention strategies in the school context.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Social and affective support network for public school students experiencing learning problems
- P. M. Pacheco, D. R. Molini-Avejonas, M. D. S. Pacheco
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, pp. S740-S741
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Introduction
Adolescence presents itself as a phase of life marked by rapid changes produced by different social contexts and in many cases, it can be configured in a stressful situation. The development of a psychosocial support network is of fundamental importance for adolescents to cope with the pressures of life in challenging situations. Many students, especially living in poor communities, face school problems especially because the curriculum fails to provide relevant knowledge to students in a way it can be meaningful and easier to be taught by teachers and learned by students. When students fail at school usually, they tend to blame themselves and as a result they may develop anxiety, social isolation and even depression.
ObjectivesThrough the Bioecological Theory of Human Development, we sought to understand the psychosocial support networks of adolescents, whether or not experiencing school problems, considering this to be a challenging event.
MethodsIn this research it was used the Five Fields Map, an instrument that evaluated the psychosocial support network for adolescents. The students with and without school problems filled the map in the beginning of the year and then at the end of the same year while facing a school problem as repeating the whole year because of insufficient grades.
ResultsThe number of relationships between students facing and not facing school problems was not different, however, failing students had fewer relationships in the school-church Mesosystem, fewer relationships in the second and third levels in the first and second moments of data collection, and more relationships in level 5 in the second moment.
School Home Church Public spaces Rel. Factor Rel. Factor Rel. Factor Rel. Factor Control Beginning 56 5,2 36 4,97 33 6,3 26 6,77 Control End 42 5,26 33 4,94 38 6,6 20 6,7 Total 98 5,23 69 4,97 71 6,45 46 6,74 School problem Beginning 57 5,52 39 5,36 10 6,3 15 5,26 School Problem End 45 5,4 31 5,67 10 6,3 10 5,6 Total 102 5,47 70 5,51 20 6,3 25 5,53 TOTAL 200 5,3 139 5,23 91 6,37 71 6,06 ConclusionsBoth group of students showed great strength of proximity in their psychosocial support networks, indicating that it provided sufficient support so that the outcome of the failure experience was positive.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Analysis of the individual profile of children in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and therapeutic strategies in the DIR/Floortime model
- P. M. Pacheco, P. Piacentini, M. D. S. Pacheco, D. R. Molini-Avejonas
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- Journal:
- European Psychiatry / Volume 66 / Issue S1 / March 2023
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 19 July 2023, p. S741
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- Article
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Introduction
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a qualitative deficit in social interaction, engagement, and behavior. The DIR/Floortime model is one of the ways of intervention and is based on the child’s Functional Development, Individual differences, and Relationships. It aims to build the foundation for the social, emotional, and intellectual skills of children, instead of having the focus only on isolated behaviors. The model was developed by Stanley Greenspan and Serena Wieder in the United States and is the result of many years of observations and studies on child development since the 1950s. In the 1980s, they unified knowledge from several related studies on child development and mental health and recognized the importance of relationships and affection for learning. One of the considerations of the DIR/Floortime model on children with autism is the individual profile, that is, their individual differences (the I of the DIR). Each child has a unique way of perceiving the world (sight, sounds, touch) and responding to it. They may have difficulties in processing or responding to sensory information. Their individual differences need to be well known so that we can draw up a therapeutic plan to obtain the best developmental evolution.
ObjectivesRecognize and analyze the individual differences of each child, so that the appropriate therapeutic plan can be traced for the development of their potential.
MethodsParticipated in the study 63 children with ASD, 12 girls (19%) and 51 boys (81%). Global Development Assessment questionnaires were used, based on the FEDC and the FEAS scale of the DIR/Floortime.
ResultsAll 63 children presented sensory alterations such as proprioceptive, visual, and vestibular search or hyper-reactivity, directly impacting abilities such as visuospatial processing and motor planning. In addition, 85% of children have low body tone. Regarding the sensory need for visual search, presented by 86% of the children, as well as the vestibular (90%), a recommended therapeutic strategy is mapping the place, with fewer objects. The therapist needs to be in a fixed position and maintain a pleasant, lower tone of voice. The routine framework for motor and action planning, anticipating, and giving the necessary waiting time for the child to get organized. Motor circuits can also help to work with the tone, as well as with praxis.
ConclusionsThe DIR/Floortime model aims to make the child develop the ability to interact meaningfully and connect with the outside world. The individual differences of the child need to be known so that this work can take place effectively and so that the therapist can better organize the therapy, providing the best development for the child.
Disclosure of InterestNone Declared