O brincar como intervenção para o Transtorno do Espectro Autista: um diálogo entre o modelo DIR/Floortime e Winnicott

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) requires therapeutic interventions that consider the complexity and singularity of child development. Historically dominated by approaches focused on modifying observable behaviors, clinical practice with children on the autism spectrum has progressively benefited from relational-based models. In this context, the general objective of this study is to analyze the theoretical and practical convergences between the DIR/Floortime intervention model and Donald W. Winnicott's psychoanalytic theory of maturation within a specialized clinic for children with ASD. This is a qualitative, theoretical research structured through a psychoanalytic literature review, articulated with the presentation and discussion of four clinical vignettes drawn from the author's internship experience. Data analysis demonstrates that the DIR/Floortime model operates convergently with Winnicottian postulates in the therapeutic setting. It was observed that the principle of "following the child's lead" resembles "primary maternal preoccupation," while sensory and affective regulation strategies function as clinical equivalents of holding and handling, which are essential for psychosomatic integration. Interactive play (Floortime) is configured as the deliberate construction of a "potential space," allowing the child on the autism spectrum to soften their defenses against "unthinkable agonies" to develop emotional engagement, imitation, and intentional communication. It is concluded that the intersection between the DIR/Floortime model and Winnicottian psychoanalysis transcends mechanical skills training, offering an ethical praxis that places the bond and affection as central engines for psychic constitution and for the rescue of the neurodivergent child's subjectivity.