Work

Improved socio-emotional skills in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following an intervention supported by an augmented gamified environment

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines the impact of an intervention using an Augmented Gamified Environment (AGE) to stimulate socio-emotional skills in a sample of 54 subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged between 3 and 17 years old. The study used a quantitative, exploratory, analytical methodology. Socio-emotional skills were evaluated before and after intervention (pre-posttest) using the DiagnosticApp instrument, supported by a fun app. The study specifically analyzed their ability to identify primary and secondary emotions and emotional states, as well as the cause-effect relationship linked to a context. The results show that socio-emotional skills improved after the intervention, regardless of gender, age, degree of ASD, comorbidity, or type of language. Overall, the greatest improvement was in identifying both primary and secondary emotions through recognizing facial expressions. Additionally, as expected, older students, and those with less severe ASD and more functional language exhibited higher scores in their socio-emotional skills. In conclusion, the extrinsic motivation associated with the mix of game mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics, along with the augmented reality resources making up the AGE, are key contributing elements in improving these students’ socio-emotional skills.

Source: International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2024.100683

Authors: Nerea López-Bouzas, M. Esther del Moral-Pérez, Jonathan Castañeda-Fernández

Institution: Universidad de Oviedo

Language: English

Topic: Autism Spectrum Disorder Research

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,250