Programa de exercício físico multicomponente sobre as funções executivas em crianças com PEA: estúdio piloto de casos múltiplos

Autores

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v83.119902

Palavras-chave:

Perturbação do espectro autista, BRIEF-2, funções executivas, crianças, exercício físico, estudo de casos múltiplos, número necessário para tratar

Resumo

Introdução: Existe evidência científica que indica efeitos positivos nas funções executivas no autismo, mas com certas limitações.

Objectivo: O presente estudo piloto de casos múltiplos obtuvo estimativas preliminares dos efeitos de um programa de exercício físico multicomponente nas funções executivas em crianças com retorno do espectro do autismo de nível 1.

Metodologia: Participação de crianças numerosas (13 no grupo experimental e 8 no grupo de controlo) entre os 8 e os 12 anos. As funções executivas são avaliadas através do inventário BRIEF-2 em dois contextos naturalistas: em casa e na escola. O índice de mudança fiável de Jacobson e Truax foi utilizado para identificar os doentes respondedores clínicos, juntamente com o número necessário para tratar.

Resultados: Os 45,5% dos participantes do grupo experimental mostraram-se clinicamente significativos em menos de um entorno, em comparação com nenhum participante do grupo de controlo (NNT = 2,20, IC 95% 1,58 a ∞). A identificação dos clientes de resposta é diferenciada de acordo com o contexto da avaliação, com um efeito maior no ambiente escolar (d = -0,53) do que em casa (d = -0,45).

Conclusões: Os resultados são consistentes com a hipótese de que o exercício físico multicomponente poderá ser uma intervenção viável e eficaz para melhorar as funções executivas em crianças com o passado do espectro autista de nível 1, embora a generalização contextual represente um objetivo terapêutico mais ambicioso. As conclusões definitivas sobre a eficácia requerem replicação em ensaios confirmatórios com potência estatística adequada.

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30-05-2026

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Artigos de caráter científico: trabalhos de pesquisas básicas e/ou aplicadas.

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Conesa-Molina, M., Pablos, A., Grau, M. D., & Elvira, L. (2026). Programa de exercício físico multicomponente sobre as funções executivas em crianças com PEA: estúdio piloto de casos múltiplos. Retos, 84, 46-62. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v83.119902