Robotic Sonification for Promoting Emotional and Social Interactions of Children with ASD

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruimin Zhang ◽  
Myounghoon Jeon ◽  
Chung Hyuk Park ◽  
Ayanna Howard
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Children With Asd

scholarly journals The Effectiveness of Equine-Based Therapy in the Treatment of Social and Behavioural Aspects of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Wiese ◽  
Rebecca Simpson ◽  
Saravana Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Behavioural Aspects

Introduction: Individuals with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with impairments in social interactions, communication, restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behaviour, interests or activities. Equine-based therapy is used as a treatment with children with disabilities. There have been no systematic reviews conducted on the effectiveness of equine-based therapy in children with ASD. Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of equine-based therapy on behavioural and social interactions in the treatment of children with ASD. Methods: A systematic search of Cochrane, OT Seeker, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Informit health databases and Proquest central were conducted. Studies of participants, aged 4-16 years, with professional diagnosed ASDs were included if they utilised outcome measures assessing behaviours and social interactions through questionnaire or observation. A critical appraisal, using the McMaster Critical Review Form for Quantitative Studies, was performed to assess methodological quality. NHMRC body of evidence framework was used to provide the study with an overall grade of recommendation in assessing quality of evidence. Results: Eight studies of varying research designs and methodological quality met the inclusion criteria. The participants in these studies were aged between 4-16 years of age. The duration of the inventions ranged from 6-12 weeks, and each study used varied measures of outcome. Overall, studies showed some improvements in behaviours and social interactions following an equine-based therapy intervention. Conclusions: Few studies have investigated the effect of equine therapy on behaviour and social interactions of children with ASD. The current body of evidence is constrained by small sample size, lack of comparator, crude sampling methods, and the lack of standardised outcome measures. Equine-based therapy shows potential as a treatment method for behaviours and social interactions in children with ASD.

scholarly journals A Pilot Study Using Two Novel fMRI Tasks: Understanding Theory of Mind and Emotion Recognition Among Children With ASD

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Han ◽  
Patricia A. Prelock ◽  
Emily L. Coderre ◽  
Joseph M. Orr
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Neuroimaging Data

AbstractChildren with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) struggle with social interactions due to deficits in theory of mind (ToM). In this study, we collected behavioral and neuroimaging data from 9 children with ASD and 19 neurotypical children between the age of 7 and 14 years old, particularly in the area of emotion recognition to better understand those skills needed for meaningful social interaction. The results suggest impaired abilities in multiple ToM metrics and brain deficits associated with ToM-related emotion recognition and processing among children with ASD. Findings from this study are expected to establish connections between behavior and brain activities surrounding ToM in ASD, which may assist the development of neuroanatomical diagnostic criteria and provide a way to measure intervention outcomes.

scholarly journals IL-38 inhibits microglial inflammatory mediators and is decreased in amygdala of children with autism spectrum disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (28) ◽  
pp. 16475-16480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Tsilioni ◽  
Harry Pantazopoulos ◽  
Pio Conti ◽  
Susan E. Leeman ◽  
Theoharis C. Theoharides
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
University Of Maryland ◽  
Human Microglia ◽  
Adult Human ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The University

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impaired social interactions and communication. The pathogenesis of ASD is not known, but it involves activation of microglia. We had shown that the peptide neurotensin (NT) is increased in the serum of children with ASD and stimulates cultured adult human microglia to secrete the proinflammatory molecules IL-1β and CXCL8. This process is inhibited by the cytokine IL-37. Another cytokine, IL-38, has been reported to have antiinflammatory actions. In this report, we show that pretreatment of cultured adult human microglia with recombinant IL-38 (aa3-152, 1–100 ng/mL) inhibits (P< 0.0001) NT-stimulated (10 nM) secretion of IL-1β (at 1 ng/mL) and CXCL8 (at 100 ng/mL). In fact, IL-38 (aa3-152, 1 ng/mL) is more potent than IL-37 (100 ng/mL). Here, we report that pretreatment with IL-38 (100 ng/mL) of embryonic microglia (HMC3), in which secretion of IL-1β was undetectable, inhibits secretion of CXCL8 (P= 0.004). Gene expression of IL-38 and its receptor IL-36R are decreased (P= 0.001 andP= 0.04, respectively) in amygdala from patients with ASD (n= 8) compared to non-ASD controls (n= 8), obtained from the University of Maryland NeuroBioBank. IL-38 is increased (P= 0.03) in the serum of children with ASD. These findings indicate an important role for IL-38 in the inhibition of activation of human microglia, thus supporting its development as a treatment approach for ASD.

Increasing Social Interactions of Preschool Children With Autism Through Cooperative Outdoor Play

2021 ◽  
pp. 002246692110325
Author(s):  
Sonja M. T. Ziegler ◽  
Michael J. Morrier
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Multiple Baseline ◽  
Baseline Design ◽  
Peer Modeling ◽  
Childhood Education ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Classroom Effects

Unstructured activity periods are central components of early childhood education programs. Deficits in social communication and social interaction presented by children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) become apparent in these settings during unstructured activities, such as outdoor recess. Thirty-two preschool-aged children with and without ASD participated in the Buddy Game, a structured, cooperative play curriculum that focused on natural peer–peer modeling and imitation. The Buddy Game used familiar songs to promote peer proximity and discrete social bids between peers during outside time. A multiple baseline design across three classrooms was used to study curriculum effects on discrete social bids of children with ASD. Results demonstrated increased social bids from children with ASD to their peers with neurotypical development (NTD) across classrooms. In one classroom, effects maintained after intervention stopped and generalized to other times of the day. Implications for integrated educational settings and early childhood curricula are discussed.

scholarly journals Virtual Voice Assistant Applications Improved Expressive Verbal Abilities and Social Interactions in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Single-Subject Experimental Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed F Safi ◽  
Badriya Al Sadrani ◽  
Ashraf Mustafa
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Baseline Phase ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Interaction Skills ◽  
Interaction Skills

Abstract Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to have communication and social interaction deficits. Their impaired communication is derived from difficulties in acquiring language. The use of interactive technologies has been demonstrated to enhance verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as the social interaction tendencies of children with ASD. Artificial intelligence has played a growing role in the habilitation of children with ASD. However, little research exists on the possible roles and effectiveness of virtual voice assistants in developing language and social skills in children with ASD. This study examined the effects of using a voice assistant in children with ASD on two outcomes: speech skills (expressive verbal vocabulary and production of short phrases) and social interaction skills (playing/sharing). Methods: An interventional single-case design study was used to explore this concept using three children with ASD between the ages of 4 and 11 years. The participants used an accessible virtual voice assistant, Apple’s Siri, for three months. Pre- and post-intervention questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with mothers were administered to measure the communication and social interaction skills of the participating children. Results: Participant One, Two and Three showed a notable improvement in the total number of correct words produced with fewer attempts during the VVA intervention compared with the baseline phase. Further, all participants showed increases in the social interactions in the intervention phase, compared with the baseline phase. Finally, all the mothers noted improvement in their children’s speech intelligibility and social interactions. Conclusions: Results showed that the virtual voice assistant had positive effects on the speech and social interaction skills of children with ASD. The findings of this study implied that children with ASD can use readily available voice assistant software to improve their speech and social interaction skills. Furthermore, this study’s findings could be used to develop strategies to increase the availability of artificial intelligence infrastructure in schools and homes to help children with ASD.

Code-Switching as a Communicative Resource Within Routine, Bilingual Family Interactions for a Child on the Autism Spectrum

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (14) ◽  
pp. 17-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betty Yu
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
Family Interactions ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Cognitive Benefits ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Sociocultural Experiences

In today's global society, bilingualism is increasingly regarded as an asset. Bilingual competencies have been associated, for example, with cognitive benefits, increased ethnolinguistic pride, and access to more expansive sociocultural experiences. Currently, there is a convergence of research findings showing that bilingual children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) perform comparably to monolingual children with ASD across measures of social-interactional, linguistic, and cognitive performance. In other words, bilingualism has not been shown to put children with ASD at a disadvantage. We have not yet, however, begun to examine bilingualism as a benefit for children with ASD. We currently have no information on how bilingual abilities are displayed by children with ASD and how the children draw on those competencies to navigate the demands of bilingual social interactions. This study is a conversation analysis (CA) of the code-switching behaviors of a bilingual child on the autism spectrum as he engaged in routine interactions with family members. The findings reveal that code-switching was used by this child strategically and systematically as a unique pragmatic resource.

scholarly journals The Effectiveness Of Peer-Mediated Sandplay to Promote Social interactions among children with Autism

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (106) ◽  
pp. 12-42
Author(s):  
Assis prof. Zahraa Abdul Mahdi Mohamed Ali al jameel
Keyword(s):  
Social Interactions ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intervention Design ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Degrees Of Severity ◽  
Autism Disorder

This study aimed at assessing whether playing with typically developing peers increased numbers of Social interactions in children with Autism Disorder (ASD). A version of a sandplay intervention previously investigated by Lu, Petersen, Lacroix, and Rousseau (2010), and modified to include peer-mediated play was used. The intervention explored the effects of sandplay with typically developing peers on engagement in social interactions by children with ASD. A multiple-case intervention design was used with three children with ASD with varying degrees of severity in functioning. While the number of social interactions among the children did increase from baseline with the introduction of the peer-mediated sandplay intervention. While the results of the intervention are inconclusive, these results necessitate further investigation into this method of intervention for children with autism disorder, specifically with regard to ASD severity. Theoretical and treatment implications are offered, as well as directions for future research

scholarly journals A Multidisciplinary Telerehabilitation Approach for Supporting Social Interaction in Autism Spectrum Disorder Families: An Italian Digital Platform in Response to COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1404
Author(s):  
Ersilia Vallefuoco ◽  
Giulia Purpura ◽  
Giovanna Gison ◽  
Andrea Bonifacio ◽  
Luca Tagliabue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Multidisciplinary Intervention ◽  
Digital Platform ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
System Usability Scale ◽  
User Friendly

Due to its complexity and high variability in symptomology, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires a coordinated and multidisciplinary intervention to better support the different programs over time and to promote social interactions in all contexts of life. Telemedicine can offer a valuable contribution in this regard, providing low-cost and portable applications. In this paper, we presented an Italian project, SUPER, which aimed to foster collaboration and information sharing between ASD families, health services, and schools. SUPER provided a digital platform with several tools that were useful both to enhance general and specific ASD knowledge and to promote personalized programs for children with ASD. We conducted a preliminary user test for the platform with 30 participants (18 therapists and 12 parents of children with ASD) using the system usability scale (SUS). The total mean SUS score (89.2) showed that SUPER is an excellent, usable system. Moreover, we extracted the usability and learnability mean components from the SUS scores, which were 96.1 and 61.7, respectively. Our preliminary results indicate that SUPER is a very user-friendly application and its innovative telemedicine approach could be ahelpful communication and collaboration tool among the different contexts of care for children with ASD.

scholarly journals Unraveling the Developmental Dynamic of Visual Exploration of Social Interactions in Autism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Kojovic ◽  
Martina Franchini ◽  
Holger Franz Sperdin ◽  
Corrado Sandini ◽  
Reem Kais Jan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Visual Exploration ◽  
List Type ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Gaze Patterns ◽  
Animated Cartoon ◽  
Social Gaze

SummaryAtypical deployment of social gaze is present early on in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Yet, studies characterizing the developmental dynamic behind it are scarce. Here we used a data-driven method to delineate the developmental change in visual exploration of social interaction over childhood years in autism. Longitudinal eye-tracking data were acquired as children with ASD and their typically developing (TD) peers freely explored complex animated scene. We found divergent moment-to moment gaze patterns in children with ASD compared to their TD peers. This divergence was particularly evident in sequences that displayed social interactions between characters, and even more so in the children with lower developmental and functional levels. Basic visual properties of the animated scene did not accounted for the enhanced divergence. Over childhood years, these differences dramatically increased to become more idiosyncratic. Taken together, these findings suggest that social attention should be targeted early in clinical treatments.HighlightsA dynamic measure of divergence from normative gaze patterns was obtained while children with ASD watched animated cartoonThe degree of divergence was negatively associated with adaptive and cognitive functioningDuring childhood viewing patterns in children with ASD were increasingly idiosyncraticIncreased idiosyncrasy of gaze deployment in children with ASD characterized processing of sequences comprising social interaction

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