Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show impairments in Theory of Mind (ToM). This pilot study examined whether a commercially available toy robot (Cozmo) could support false-belief training within an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) framework. Methods: Fourteen children with ASD completed a two-period crossover design comparing robot-assisted training with standard therapy. Sessions used adapted false-belief tasks (Deceptive Box, Sally-Anne) delivered through therapist-controlled interactions with Cozmo. ToM and emotion recognition were assessed with NEPSY-II at T0, T1, and T2. Results: Robot-assisted sessions produced greater improvements than standard therapy alone on both NEPSY-II Emotion Recognition and ToM subscales, as confirmed by mixed-effects models. Discussion: Findings suggest that an affordable toy-like robot can be feasibly integrated into structured clinical interventions and may enhance ToM-related outcomes in children with ASD, warranting further evaluation in larger samples.
Source: Frontiers in Psychology
Institution: Italian Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
Funder: Regione Liguria
OpenAlex ID: W4416841326