Efeitos de regras sobre relatos de comportamentos de cuidados com os pés em pessoas com diabetes

Objetivando estabelecer relatos de cuidados com os pés, foram registrados relatos de adultos diabéticos (linha de base), antes das manipulações experimentais. No Experimento 1 (N=6), a Condição 1 era com perguntas e com exame dos pés. A Condição 2, sem perguntas e com exame. E a Condição 3, sem perguntas e sem exame. No Experimento 2, os 16 participantes foram expostos a regras para cuidar dos pés. Havia reforço na Condição 1; justificativas para o seguir regras na Condição 2; reforço e justificativas na Condição 3; e, não havia reforço e justificativas na Condição 4. Apenas no Experimento 2, independente da condição, as regras elevaram o número de relatos apresentados. Discutem-se os efeitos de variáveis envolvidas no controle por regras.

ABSTRACT: Aiming to establish reports on foot care, baseline reports of diabetic adults were registered before experimental manipulations. In Experiment 1, Condition 1, questions were made to 6 participants and their feet were examined. In Condition 2, no questions were made and an exam was performed. In Condition 3, no questions were made and no exam was performed. In Experiment 2, all 16 participants were exposed to rules on how to take care of their feet. In Condition 1, reports were reinforced; in Condition 2 reasons for following the rules were presented; in Condition 3 there were reinforcement and reasons; and in Condition 4, neither reinforcement for reports nor reasons were presented. In all conditions of Experiment 2, the number of reports increased. The effects of the variables involved in rule-governed behavior are discussed.