Funciones ejecutivas en niños y adolescentes con Trastorno del Espectro Autista según la percepción de los padres, en centros especializados de la ciudad de Cuenca, periodo 2020-2021

Abstract

The study of executive functions in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), with the parents' perspective source, allows to characterize these processes in daily context where the individual develops and faces different problems. The general objective of this research was to describe ASD children and adolescents’ executive function profile, according to parents, in the specialized centers Kawallu and the Asociación de Familias por el Autismo del Azuay, in the city of Cuenca, in the period 2020-2021. The approach of the work was quantitative, with descriptive scope, based on a non-experimental and crosssectional design. A total of 30 children and adolescents between 5 and 16 years old were included, using the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function BRIEF-2, which was answered by participants’ parents. The findings suggest that all the EF domains where clinically significant impaired and the highest percentage was found for “Flexibility”, “Working Memory” and “Initiate”. The main Index was Emotional Regulation Index with a clinically significant mean. To conclude the investigation, it is acknowledge that on average the TEA group has deficits in executive functioning, as observed by parents.