Applied Behavior Analysis: Parent and Professional Perception about Treatment in Children with Autism Spectrum

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects about 70 million people worldwide, becoming more prominent in society, and determining the need for affordable and effective treatments, especially in childhood. In this context, intervention proposals based on the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) model gain scope in Brazil, due to its popularization and effectiveness in other countries, and for obtaining scientifically proven results. To add information, this research aimed to identify the perception of parents and professionals about the application of the ABA technique in children with ASD. An exploratory research with a qualitative approach was carried out with 17 participants (nine professionals and eight family members of children with ASD), who answered an interview script adapted for each group, whose data were understood through lexical analysis using the IRaMuTeQ software (R interface for the Multilingual Analysis of Textes and Questionnaires). The results show that ABA enables an improvement in the social and affective skills of children with ASD by reinforcing socially accepted behaviors and modifying non-accepted behaviors, reducing repetitive behaviors and stereotypes. It concludes the importance of ABA as an efficient technique for the child's development and its adaptation in society.