Metilfenidato e suas implicações na autopercepção e no perfil psicomotor de crianças escolares

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of methylphenidate on the psychomotor profile and its relationship to perceived competence of children with ADHD, and the specific objectives were to 1) identify the prevalence of ADHD in the municipal school of Cianorte- Pr and compare the results with regard to gender and subtype, 2) evaluate the psychomotor profile and perceived competence of children with ADHD, 3) evaluate the results of the use of methylphenidate on the psychomotor profile, the psychomotor tone, balance, laterality, body concept, structure and spatial-temporal praxis wide and thin, beyond the dimensions of self-perceived competence and 4) analyze the influence of methylphenidate on psychomotor profile and self-competence when compared by age group 8-9 years and 10 to 11 years , a daily dosage of methylphenidate by gender and subtypes: inattentive, hyperactive and mixed and 5) relate the psychomotor profile with self-perceived competence of children with ADHD. We evaluated 50 children with ADHD, according to DSM-IV, of both sexes and aged between 8 and 11 years, elementary school students of Cianorte-Pr. These subjects were divided into a group of users and nonusers of methylphenidate. The instruments of data collection were the battery of psychomotor Fonseca (1995) and the scale of perceived competence of Harter (1985), adapted by Vieira (1993). Data were treated with descriptive statistics, by the Shapiro Wilk, Mann Whitney test, Chi-square, Spearman correlation and Cronbach's alpha, with significance determined at 5%. The results showed a better perception of competence in cognitive ability dimensions and overall value in MHT users, but this group had lower results on the factors balance, space-time concept and praxis fine. About the results for the strata have been found more significant results in cognitive ability for the group of 8 and 9 years, in relation to older children bathing suits, however they had better psychomotor profile and affective behavior. On examining the subtypes, the study found better results in cognitive skills, behavior and overall value of inattentive children who use MHT in relation to hyperactive +combined also drug users. The only correlation indicated moderate relationship between cognitive ability and overall value for the sample. We conclude that the MHT improves cognitive and global competence, primarily inattentive children and younger, but has no effect on psychomotor development.