PROBABILIDAD CONDICIONAL DE RECHAZO Y ACEPTACIÓN DE ALIMENTOS EN NIÑOS CON DIAGNÓSTICO DE TRASTORNO DEL ESPECTRO AUTISTA Y DESARROLLO TÍPICO

Adequate food consumption is essential for the optimal development of children, consequently, the assessment of conditions that promotes it is highly relevant, especially in populations in which a high prevalence of feeding problems are reported, like children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Functional Analysis have shown that the presentation of different forms of attention, escape and delivery of tangible items could maintain food refusal and acceptance behaviors in children. In this study we conducted descriptive analysis in five children with ASD and in five, Typically-Developing children with the aim to determine the kind of consequences toward food acceptance and refusal that are commonly delivered by caretakers during mealtimes. Mealtime periods were video-recorded and conditional probabilities were calculated for different kinds of consequences delivered by caretakers to children’s food acceptance and refusal behaviors. We found that there were no differences in conditional probabilities, neither in acceptance or food refusal. On the other hand, contrary to other studies, the type of consequences mostly employed by caretakers were both, attention and escape. The functions of behavior in relation 7 probabilidad condicional de consumo de alimento en niños with children development and its implications to increase food acceptance and reduce refusal behaviors are discussed.