RESUMO
The most extensively employed paradigm for the analysis of relational behavior is the transposition task. Nevertheless, it has two important limitations for its use in humans. The first one is the "ceiling effect" reported in linguistic participants. The second limitation is that the standard transposition task, being a simple choice task between two stimuli, does not include active behavioral patterns and their recording, as relevant factors in emergence of relational behavior. In the present work, a challenging multi-object task based on transposition, integrated with recording software, is presented. This paradigm requires behavioral active patterns to form stimuli compounds with a given relational criteria. The paradigm is composed of three arrangements: a) a bank of stimuli, b) sample relational compounds, and c) comparison relational compounds. The task consists of the participant constructing two comparison relational compounds by dragging figures of a bank of stimuli with the same relation shown by the sample relational compounds. These factors conform an integrated system that can be manipulated in an individual or integrative manner. The software records discrete responses (e.g., stimuli selections, placements) and continuous responses (e.g., tracking of cursor movements, figure dragging). The obtained data, data analysis and graphical representations proposed are compatible with frameworks that assume an active nature of the attentional and perceptual processes and an integrated and continuous system between the perceiver and the environment. The proposed paradigm deepens the systematic study of relational behavior in humans in the framework of the transposition paradigm and expands it to a continuous analysis of interaction between active patterns and the dynamics of relational behavior.
Assuntos
Atenção , HumanosRESUMO
Resumen: Los problemas pediátricos de la alimentación ocurren en una alta proporción de niños, y en especial en aquellos con trastornos del desarrollo. De no ser atendidos, estos problemas pueden tener repercusiones negativas en la salud de los infantes, como: pérdida severa de peso, malnutrición, retardo en el crecimiento, y en casos extremos la muerte. La aproximación del análisis conductual aplicado al desarrollo de métodos de evaluación y tratamiento de problemas de alimentación en niños ha probado ser exitosa para incrementar la ingesta, al mismo tiempo que disminuye la conducta desadaptativa. En este artículo, el primero de su tipo en lengua castellana, se realiza una revisión crítica de los métodos de evaluación y tratamiento desarrollados bajo una perspectiva analítico-conductual, se ejemplifica su aplicación en un caso clínico, y se plantean futuras líneas de investigación en esta área. Se concluye que los procedimientos desarrollados desde esta perspectiva han probado ser efectivos para tratar los problemas pediátricos de la alimentación. La investigación futura deberá enfocarse en delimitar los parámetros de los tratamientos en un esfuerzo por determinar la efectividad de estos, así como en desarrollar programas de entrenamiento para padres, con el fin de tratar y prevenir problemas de alimentación en sus hijos.
Abstract: Pediatric feeding problems occur in a significant proportion of children, especially, in those with developmental disabilities. If unattended, these problems can have negative effects on children's health, such as: severe weight loss, malnutrition, delayed linear growth and in extreme cases, death. The behavior-analytic approach to the assessment and treatment of feeding problems with children has proven to be successful in increasing appropriate eating while decreasing maladaptive behavior. In this paper, the first of its kind in Spanish, a critical review of assessment and treatment methods developed under a behavioral-analytic perspective is conducted, its clinical application is illustrated with a case study and new lines of research are proposed. It is concluded that the procedures developed within this perspective have proven to be effective for the treatment of pediatric feeding problems. Future research should focus on delimiting treatment parameters in an effort to determine the effectiveness of treatments, as well as developing parent-training programs to treat and prevent feeding problems in their children.
