Are Children with Autism More Responsive to Animated Characters? A Study of Interactions with Humans and Human-Controlled Avatars

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2014-10, Vol.44 (10), p.2475-2485
• Main Authors: Carter, Elizabeth J., Williams, Diane L., Hodgins, Jessica K., Lehman, Jill F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Animation; Attention; Audiences; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic children; Autistic Disorder - psychology; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Cartoon characters; Cartoons; Cartoons as Topic - psychology; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child clinical studies; Child, Preschool; Communication Skills; Communication Strategies; Comprehension; Computer Mediated Communication; Computer Simulation; Computer-assisted instruction; Counselors; Developmental disorders; Electronic Equipment; Feedback (Response); Female; Humans; Infantile autism; Interaction; Interpersonal Competence; Interpersonal Relationship; Language Skills; Male; Medical sciences; Neurosciences; Nonverbal Communication; Nonverbal Communication - psychology; Opportunities; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Professional-Patient Relations; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public Health; Reaction time; Resistance (Psychology); Social Behavior; Verbal Behavior; Verbal Communication; Verbal Stimuli; Video Technology; Young Children
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-014-2116-8

Few direct comparisons have been made between the responsiveness of children with autism to computer-generated or animated characters and their responsiveness to humans. Twelve 4- to 8-year-old children with autism interacted with a human therapist; a human-controlled, interactive avatar in a theme park; a human actor speaking like the avatar; and cartoon characters who sought social responses. We found superior gestural and verbal responses to the therapist; intermediate response levels to the avatar and the actor; and poorest responses to the cartoon characters, although attention was equivalent across conditions. These results suggest that even avatars that provide live, responsive interactions are not superior to human therapists in eliciting verbal and non-verbal communication from children with autism in this age range.