Joint attention ability in children with autistic spectrum disorders.
BACKGROUND
joint attention in children with autistic spectrum disorders.


OBJECTIVE
to evaluate joint attention ability in subjects with autistic spectrum disorders in different contexts and with different interlocutors.


METHODS
twenty subjects with ages between four and twelve years, diagnosed with autism or asperger syndrome (DSM-IV-TR, 2002) by a multidisciplinary team, with no associated disorders, and who were enrolled in language therapy for at least six months were assessed. The Symbolic Maturity Assessment Test was used to evaluate joint attention behaviors. An adaptation that included the Semi-Structured Play situations was carried out for this research. For all of the studied situations (free play; semi-structured play with speech and language therapist and the caregiver; imitation) the following joint attention behaviors were observed: alternate, point, show (by child's initiative or in response to adult's action) and look at adult's action (response behavior). The last included the differentiation of the ways by which the adult drew the child's attention (talking; gesturing; or both).


RESULTS
the different situations changed the way these subjects shared attention. The adult's intervention proved to be effective in triggering an increase in the occurrence of joint attention behaviors, mainly in response to the adult. No differences were found between interlocutors (speech therapist and mother) in semi-structured situations, probably because both interlocutors synchronized their behaviors with the children.


CONCLUSIONS
the evaluation of joint attention behaviors in play contexts was effective and the interference of a known adult was reflected in the increase of the occurrence of these behaviors in semi-structured and imitation situations.
Menezes
Camila Gioconda de Lima e
CG
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Distúrbios da Comunicação Humana, Departamento de Fonoaudiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo. cagimenezes@yahoo.com.br
Perissinoto
Jacy
J
D000328:Adult; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D003147:Communication Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007808:Language Therapy; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012919:Social Behavior; D013070:Speech Therapy; D014705:Verbal Behavior