Social Skills Training for Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Meta-analysis of In-person and Technological Interventions

Soares, Erin E.; Bausback, Kimberly B.; Beard, Charlotte L.; Higinbotham, Megan K.; Bunge, Eduardo L.; Gengoux, Grace

doi:10.1007/s41347-020-00177-0

Cited by 71 publications

(50 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…Differences between the two stimuli are particularly important since a combined use of face-to-face and technological interventions has been suggested (Soares et al, 2021), thus it is worth investigating how the two types of stimuli can influence visual processes and promote attention to particular aspects of the social stimulus since social information encoding seems to be of particular relevance in the social cognition of children with ASC (Pino et al, 2020).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For this reason, many rehabilitative interventions use technology such as robots, avatars and virtual environments to teach new skills to children with ASC (Orvalho et al, 2009;Jarrold et al, 2013;Bekele et al, 2014;Aresti-Bartolome & Garcia-Zapirain, 2015;Lahiri et al, 2015;Newbutt et al, 2016;Liu et al, 2017;Elgarf et al, 2017;Shoaib et al, 2017;Papathomas & Goldschmidt, 2017;Ravindran et al, 2019;Yuan & Ip, 2018;Khowaja et al, 2019;Valencia et al, 2019;Rojo et al, 2019;Herrero & Lorenzo, 2020;Di Mascio et al, 2020). Soares et al (2021) conducted a meta-analysis comparing randomized controlled trials of face-to-face and technological interventions for children and adolescents with autism to improve social skills. These interventions included the use of computer-based software, computer avatars and therapeutic robots and found that both types of intervention resulted in comparable improvements in social skills.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparing virtual vs real faces expressing emotions in children with autism: An eye-tracking study

et al. 2021

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Difficulties in processing emotional facial expressions is considered a central characteristic of children with autism spectrum condition (ASC). In addition, there is a growing interest in the use of virtual avatars capable of expressing emotions as an intervention aimed at improving the social skills of these individuals. One potential use of avatars is that they could enhance facial recognition and guide attention. However, this aspect needs further investigation. The aim of our study is to assess differences in eye gaze processes in children with ASC when they see avatar faces expressing emotions compared to real faces. Eye-tracking methodology was used to compare the performance of children with ASC between avatar and real faces. A repeated-measures general linear model was adopted to understand which characteristics of the stimuli could influence the stimuli’s fixation times. Survival analysis was performed to understand differences in exploration behaviour between avatar and real faces. Differences between emotion recognition accuracy and the number of fixations were evaluated through a paired t-test. Our results confirm that children with autism have higher capacities to process and recognize emotions when these are presented by avatar faces. Children with autism are more attracted to the mouth or the eyes depending on the stimulus type (avatar or real) and the emotion expressed by the stimulus. Also, they are more attracted to avatar faces expressing negative emotions (anger and sadness), and to real faces expressing surprise. Differences were not found regarding happiness. Finally, they show a higher degree of exploration of avatar faces. All these elements, such as interest in the avatar and reduced attention to the eyes, can offer important elements in planning an efficient intervention.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing virtual vs real faces expressing emotions in children with autism: An eye-tracking study

et al. 2021

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“…Due to the brief but intensive nature of the summer programs (2019-in-person;2020-Online), attendance to all sessions was calculated. Conversely, a three-month period was assessed for each of the school year programs (20192019-2021. Doing so kept the number of sessions and time duration per sample relatively balanced.…”

Section: Program Analysis Attritionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adapting an In-person Transdiagnostic Social Skills Program to Online Delivery: Technology to the Rescue

Gale¹,

Greenberg²,

Ireland³

2021

iejee

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IntroductionSocial skills intervention programs have demonstrated treatment efficacy in session but putting that knowledge into practice is a critically important component. It requires simultaneous development of related essential skills, like emotion regulation and resilience. Additionally, transdiagnostic treatment methodologies, which are more cost-effective and increase accessibility, have become increasingly popular. However, accessibility remains a problem for in-person programs. LUNCH Groups® (www. lunchgroups.com), an in-person transdiagnostic program, incorporated various technology-based assessment and intervention elements as part of the original program design. These included a customized online assessment tool, home generalization app, computer animation projects, and online parent webinars. Their inclusion paved the way for a quick pivot to telehealth-based services while maintaining HIPAA compliance. The original in-person program is described along with the steps taken in the switch to telehealth, outlining the benefits and challenges that resulted. Attendance and attrition data indicated no problems after an initial adjustment period that coincided with the onset of the pandemic. Survey data indicated general satisfaction with the revised program structure and curriculum, with significant gains approximating those seen in the in-person version.Children and adolescents who experience behavioral and social difficulties often face social isolation as their peers form group dynamics that are difficult for them to understand (Schohl et al., 2014). Social skills programs can help children put together a toolbox of abilities for social competence such as effective use of verbal and nonverbal communication, appropriate timing, appropriate topics, and planning situation-specific responses (Spence, 2003). While skill knowledge is helpful, putting that knowledge into practice is a critically important component (Bandura,

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“…(f) Support in the rehabilitation therapy of communication disabilities such as autism or others, where the robot can represent a useful tool full of stimuli for children [18,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28].…”

Section: Social Robotsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, Sheridan [23] makes the important consideration that for user acceptance, government regulator acceptance and sales appeal, engineering/research related to social psychological and human factors should be applied to social robots. This is especially true for children's toys because children are the most vulnerable of the various user categories.…”

Section: Toys and The Market For Social Robots In Generalmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Social Robot in Rehabilitation and Assistance: What Is the Future?

Giansanti

2021

Healthcare

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This commentary aims to address the field of social robots both in terms of the global situation and research perspectives. It has four polarities. First, it revisits the evolutions in robotics, which, starting from collaborative robotics, has led to the diffusion of social robots. Second, it illustrates the main fields in the employment of social robots in rehabilitation and assistance in the elderly and handicapped and in further emerging sectors. Third, it takes a look at the future directions of the research development both in terms of clinical and technological aspects. Fourth, it discusses the opportunities and limits, starting from the development and clinical use of social robots during the COVID-19 pandemic to the increase of ethical discussion on their use.

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Social Skills Training for Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Meta-analysis of In-person and Technological Interventions

Cited by 71 publications

References 66 publications

Comparing virtual vs real faces expressing emotions in children with autism: An eye-tracking study

Comparing virtual vs real faces expressing emotions in children with autism: An eye-tracking study

Adapting an In-person Transdiagnostic Social Skills Program to Online Delivery: Technology to the Rescue

The Social Robot in Rehabilitation and Assistance: What Is the Future?

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