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Background: Children with autism have impairments in initiation of joint attention (IJA) and response to joint attention (RJA). Aims: The present study compared the learning effectiveness of robot-based intervention (RBI) with that of content-matched human-based intervention (HBI) in improving joint attention (JA). We examined whether RBI would enhance RJA, in comparison to HBI. We also examined whether RBI would increase IJA, in comparison to HBI. Methods and procedures: Thirty-eight Chinese-speaking children with autism aged 6 to 9 years were randomly assigned to RBI and HBI groups. Before intervention, their autism severity, cognitive abilities, and language skills were assessed. Each child received six 30-min training sessions over 3 weeks. During training, he/she watched one or two robot/human dramas twice where two robot/human actors demonstrated eye contact and RJA. Outcomes and results: Children in the RBI (but not HBI) group produced more RJA and IJA behaviors in the delayed post-test than in the pre-test. Parents of the RBI children rated the program more positively than those of the HBI children. Conclusions and implications: RBI may be more effective than HBI in promoting JA in autistic children with high support needs. Our findings shed light on the application of robot dramas in enhancing social communication skills.
RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially those with low cognitive functioning, have deficits in joint attention. Previous research has found that these children are interested in engaging with social robots. PURPOSE: In the present study, we designed a robot drama intervention for promoting responses to joint attention abilities (RJA) of children with low-functioning autism (IQs < 70). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a stepped wedge design, Chinese-speaking children aged six to eight were randomly assigned to three tiers (N = 18). Children of all three tiers had comparable autism severity, language and cognitive function, and joint attention abilities. Tier 1 first received intervention, followed by Tiers 2 and 3. They watched six dramas in which social robots demonstrated RJA behaviours. RESULTS: The RJA of children of all tiers improved after intervention and such improvement was maintained over time. Despite initiation of joint attention (IJA) not being explicitly taught, IJA of all children was found to improve after intervention. CONCLUSIONS: It was, therefore, concluded that a robot drama could enhance the joint attention of children with low-functioning ASD.Implications for rehabilitationIn comparison to typically developing children, children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially those with low cognitive functioning, have deficits in joint attention.Robot-based drama intervention program was developed to promote responses to joint attention (RJA) abilities of children with low-functioning autism (IQs < 70).Modelling RJA in robot dramas can promote RJA abilities in these children.An improvement in RJA also yielded an increase in the initiation of joint attention (IJA) abilities.Children with low-functioning autism might be able to extract the initiation of joint attention skills from the drama, even though these behaviours were not explicitly taught.
