The effect of back support on attention in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A pilot study testing André Bullinger's model
Type de matériel :
93
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by serious impairment of social and communication skills, associated with restricted interest (DSM-5, 2013). In regard to the motor and sensory aspects, André Bullinger proposed a model that presents autism as a postural control disorder. The hypothesis of this study is that a back support allows children with ASD to expend less energy on controlling their posture, and therefore to become more available for interaction with others and to pay attention. The visual performance of seven children with ASD (one girl and six boys, mean age 54.8 months) was compared to 9 typically developing children (2 girls and 7 boys, mean age 49 months). Data were collected via an eye-tracking system in two conditions: with and without back support. Results show a significant increase of eye fixation duration with the back support. We therefore suggest that the back support proposed by Bullinger is a significant clinical and educational method to assist both children with difficulties and normal children in relation to attention and interaction with the environment.
Réseaux sociaux