Teaching rhythmic skills for boys with Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Autor(a) principal: Asnis, Valéria Peres
• Data de Publicação: 2019
• Outros Autores: Arantes, Ana, Elias, Nassim Chamel
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Educação Especial (UFSM)
• Texto Completo: http://periodicos.ufsm.br/educacaoespecial/article/view/34415
• topic: Applied Behavior Analysis; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Music.; Análisis del Comportamiento Aplicado; Trastorno del Espectro del Autismo; Música.; Análise do Comportamento Aplicada; Transtorno do Espectro do Autismo; Música

Children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when they present deficits in social communication and interaction and restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests. Studies suggest that using appropriate strategies for teaching music to people with ASD can contribute to an environment conducive to musical learning, developing appropriate social behaviors, and diminishing inappropriate behaviors. This study aimed to verify the effects of the use of differential reinforcement and prompt fading in the learning of rhythmic skills when playing musical instruments in the presence of popular Brazilian songs with four eight-to-12-year-old boys diagnosed with ASD and if the engagement in the musical activities would lead to the reduction of inappropriate behaviors and increase of appropriate behaviors. A multiple baseline design across musical repertoires was used, in which the participant was taught to play a musical instrument at a pre-established rhythm. The results indicate that all participants learned the response to the musical pulse and generalized to all songs in this study. This study corroborated other studies that indicate the effectiveness of musical activities as a tool to develop and expand appropriate behaviors and diminish those that are socially inadequate.