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.

Journal: Journal of autism and developmental disorders
PMID: 31655965

Abstract

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.

Authors

  • Wing-Chee So
    a Department of Educational Psychology , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong S.A.R.
  • Chun-Ho Cheng
    Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China.
  • Wan-Yi Lam
    a Department of Educational Psychology , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong S.A.R.
  • Ying Huang
    Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
  • Ka-Ching Ng
    Department of Educational Psychology Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
  • Hiu-Ching Tung
    Department of Educational Psychology Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
  • Wing Wong
    Department of Educational Psychology Department, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Keywords

External Resources

Popular Topics
Recent Journals