Follow the white robot: Efficacy of robot-assistive training for children with autism spectrum disorder

• Published in: Research in autism spectrum disorders Vol. 86; p. 101822
• Main Authors: Ghiglino, Davide, Chevalier, Pauline, Floris, Federica, Priolo, Tiziana, Wykowska, Agnieszka
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2021
• Subjects: Autism spectrum disorder; Human-robot interaction; Rehabilitation; Robot-assisted intervention; Social skills; Robot-assisted intervention; Rehabilitation; Social skills; Human-robot interaction; Autism spectrum disorder
• ISSN: 1750-9467; 1878-0237
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2021.101822

•Robots have been used as clinical tools to boost social competencies in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).•It is fundamental to explore whether robot-assisted training can be embedded in the standard treatment plan of ASD indiduals.•Easy-to-use, commercial robots adopted in a clinical environment positively affected therapy outcomes in ASD individuals. Socially assistive robots have the potential to become a powerful therapeutic tool for individuals affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). However, to date, only a few studies explored the efficacy of robot-assisted training embedded in structured clinical protocols. The current study aimed at investigating the beneficial effects of introducing a toy robot, as a new tool for clinicians, in the treatment plan carried out by an Italian healthcare institution. In collaboration with the healthcare professionals of Piccolo Cottolengo Genovese di Don Orione, we designed a robot-mediated activity aimed at improving social skills in children with ASD. Twenty-four children with ASD (Age = 5.79 ± 1.02, 5 females) completed the activities with the robot in a cross-over design, during a period of ten weeks. Their social skills were assessed before and after the robot intervention activities, using the Early Social Communication Scale (ESCS). Results showed that the combination of robot-assisted training with standard therapy was more effective than the standard therapy alone, in terms of improvement of social skills. Specifically, after the robot-assisted training, children with ASD improved in their ability to generate and respond to behavioral requests, and in their tendency to initiate and maintain social interaction with the adult. Our results support the idea that robot-assisted interventions can be combined with the standard treatment plan to improve clinical outcomes.