A Robot-Based Play-Drama Intervention May Improve the Joint Attention and Functional Play Behaviors of Chinese-Speaking Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in joint attention and play behaviors. We examined whether a robot-based play-drama intervention would promote these skills. Chinese-speaking preschool children were randomly assigned to an intervention group (N = 12) and a waitlist control...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of autism and developmental disorders 2020-02, Vol.50 (2), p.467-481
Main Authors: So, Wing-Chee, Cheng, Chun-Ho, Lam, Wan-Yi, Huang, Ying, Ng, Ka-Ching, Tung, Hiu-Ching, Wong, Wing
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attention
Attention Control
Autism
Autistic children
Behavior
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Care and treatment
Child and School Psychology
Children
Drama
Foreign Countries
Health aspects
Intervention
Joint attention
Neurosciences
Original Paper
Outcomes of Treatment
Pediatrics
Pervasive Developmental Disorders
Preschool Children
Psychodrama
Psychology
Public Health
Robotics
Robots
Role Playing
Social aspects
Socialization
Technology application
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Summary:Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have deficits in joint attention and play behaviors. We examined whether a robot-based play-drama intervention would promote these skills. Chinese-speaking preschool children were randomly assigned to an intervention group (N = 12) and a waitlist control group (N = 11). Children in the intervention group watched three robot dramas and engaged in role-plays with both robots and human experimenters over the course of 9 weeks. There were significant improvements in joint attention initiations and functional play behaviors in the intervention group. Parents of this group of children also reported less severe social impairments. It was therefore concluded that a robot-based play-drama intervention can enhance the joint attention and play behaviors of children with ASD.
ISSN:0162-3257
1573-3432
DOI:10.1007/s10803-019-04270-z