Alvina: um protocolo para orientar o desenvolvimento e validação de tecnologias baseadas em aba para o tratamento do autismo

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects about 1-2% of the global population and leads to long-term challenges in the daily social lives of individuals with the disability. Based mainly on behavioral symptoms, the ASD is usually diagnosed after the second year of life. Beyond that, research indicates that the prevalence rates of this disorder have increased during the last three decades. Early interventions based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) have contributed to good results in treatments, demonstrating significant improvements in language, cognitive ability and social skills for many individuals diagnosed with ASD. Besides ABA, Assistive Technologies (ATs) such as games, robots, among others, contribute positively to the development and learning process compared to other instructional methods. Then, associating ABA practices with the use of technology can contribute to controllable intervention, structured, adaptable, stimulating and increasingly effective processes. However, it is observed that ATs designed based on ABA principles for ASD treatment do not meet the criteria proposed by this science. Thus, this paper’s main objective was to propose ALVINA: A Protocol to Guide the Development and Validation of ABA-Based Technologies for the Treatment of Autism. As a way of expanding reflections and reinforcing the importance and benefits of ALVINA, an evaluation was carried out, which took place through the application of questionnaires, in which computer professionals and Behavior Analysts participated. As a result of this assessment, these professionals highlighted the relevance of ALVINA information, considering it capable of involving important and essential points in the understanding process of how to validate and design ABA-based ATs for the ASD treatment, besides intelligibly meeting the criteria for the fundamental principles of this science. All this demonstrates the professionals involved in the ALVINA assessment have recognized the importance and need of a protocol for the development and validation of a proposed AT to be used during the intervention process. Furthermore, as a way of demonstrating the applicability of ALVINA, it was used to validate the SEIA: Teaching System Based on Artificial Intelligence and ABA and TEO: An Interactive Game Suite To Support The Treatment Of Children With Autism. Through this validation, the Behavior Analysts analyzed the weaknesses and strengths of SEIA and TEO. The guidelines described by ALVINA were also used for the development of a prototype called AUTISMALG: Application to Assist in Teaching Identification and Counting Number for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This prototype aimed to identify and understand the application of the recommendations of each guideline proposed by ALVINA in the development of an AT. Finally, it is expected that the guidelines proposed by this protocol be efficient in the validation and development of ATs, aiming to ensure the correct execution of ABA practices during the intervention process, thus providing improvements for the treatment of individuals with ASD.