Games as a measure of reading and writing generalization after computerized teaching of reading skills

Abstract Behavior Analysis is usually accused of not being able to account for the generalization of verbal behavior that is present in linguistically competent individuals. However, several behavior analytic studies investigate this theme, and gamification has been seen as a useful way to study generalization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate reading and writing generalization in games, after these behaviors were taught through the program Learning to Read in Small Steps. Participants were four children between 7 and 12 years old who had reading and writing deficits. The experimental design was a pre-posttest design that encompassed five phases. Performance in probes suggests generalization of reading and writing skills to new activities (games) and responses. This study represents a small step in a systematic understanding of how games can be used to assess behavior change. (AU)

Comparação entre critérios de classificação dos achados audiométricos em idosos / Comparison between classification criteria of audiometric findings in elderly

OBJETIVO: Comparar os resultados audiológicos de idosos com base nas classificações segundo os critérios de Davis e Silverman e da Recomendação 02/1 do Bureau Internacional d'Audiophonologie (BIAP). MÉTODOS: Foram analisados 140 prontuários, pertencentes a 79 mulheres e 61 homens, com média de idade 69,75 anos. Foram coletados dados referentes à história clínica e resultados da audiometria tonal liminar, classificando ocorrências de acordo com: tipo da perda auditiva; curva audiométrica; orelha afetada; grau da perda auditiva de acordo com as propostas de Davis e Silvermane da recomendação 02/1 do BIAP. Os dados foram analisados estatisticamente. RESULTADOS: As queixas audiológicas mais frequentes foram zumbido, prurido, tontura e otalgia. As doenças referidas foram hipertensão arterial e diabetes. Houve relatos de exposição a ruídos. Em relação à configuração audiométrica, 105 orelhas apresentaram curva descendente, 88 horizontal e 24 apresentaram configuração normal bilateralmente. Dos indivíduos com perda, 57 eram do gênero masculino e 59 do gênero feminino, o que indicou 93,44 por cento do número total de homens, e 74,68 por cento do número total de mulheres. Houve predomínio de perda auditiva sensorioneural, de grau leve e moderado, com pequenas diferenças quanto à prevalência de acordo com cada uma das classificações. O grau da perda foi considerado pior e houve menor quantidade de casos de audição normal na classificação BIAP. Na classificação de Davis e Silverman, ocorreram 99 casos de orelhas com limiares normais enquanto pela recomendação do BIAP, apenas 66. CONCLUSÃO: A utilização dos critérios de classificação sugeridos por Davis e Silverman e pela recomendação do BIAP apresentam resultados semelhantes. No entanto, o uso da recomendação do BIAP mostra-se mais sensível para a detecção de perdas auditivas em idosos.

PURPOSE: To compare the audiological results of elderly subjects based on the classifications according to the criteria of Davis and Silverman and of the recommendation 02/1 of the Bureau Internacional d'Audiophonologie (BIAP). METHODS: The records of 140 elderly subjects, 79 female and 61 male, with average age of 69.75 years, were analyzed. Data regarding their clinical history and the results from pure tone audiometry were gathered, and occurrences were classified according to: type of hearing loss; audiometric curve; affected ear; and degree of hearing loss, according to the purposes of Davis and Silverman and the recommendation 02/1 of the BIAP. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The most frequent audiological complaints were tinnitus, itchiness, dizziness and otalgia. There were reports of noise exposition. Regarding the audiometric configuration, 105 ears showed descending curve, 88 had horizontal curve, and 24 presented normal curve configuration bilaterally. Fifty seven of the individuals with hearing loss were male and 59 were female, corresponding to 93.44 percent of the total number of male subjects and 74.68 percent of the female subjects. Mild and moderate sensorineural hearing losses were predominant, with little prevalence difference according to each of the classifications. The degree of hearing loss was worse and there were lesser cases of normal hearing when the BIAP classification was considered. The classification proposed by Davis and Silverman identified 99 cases of normal hearing, while the BIAP classification identified only 66 cases. CONCLUSION: The classification criteria suggested by Davis and Silverman and by the BIAP recommendation presented similar results. However, the BIAP criteria are more sensible to detect hearing loss in elderly subjects.