Numerous children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit abnormal eye gaze pattern in communication and social interaction. In this study, we aim to investigate the effectiveness of the hide-and-seek virtual reality system (HSVRS) in improving gaze fixation abilities in children with ASD. Our hypothesis is that engaging in a…

Sensory differences are nearly universal in autism, but their genetic origins are poorly understood. Here, we tested how individuals with an autism-linked genotype, 16p.11.2 deletion ("16p"), attend to visual information in immersive, real-world photospheres. We monitored participants' (N = 44) gaze while they actively explored 360°…

This study presents a strengths-based framework for designing virtual reality experiences tailored to the needs and abilities of autistic individuals. Recognizing the potential of virtual reality to provide engaging and immersive learning environments, the framework aligns the strengths and preferences of autistic users with the affordances of…

Prevalence rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the globe and lifespan suggest that law enforcement officers (LEOs) are likely to interact with autistic people in their professional duties. In developed countries, LEOs have professional encounters with autistic individuals, and research strongly supports LEOs need training to increase…

Background: People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties recognizing emotions. Studies showed that virtual reality (VR) and computerized training programs might be used as potential tools for enhancing emotion recognition in such people. However, some inconsistencies were observed between the studies. Objective: In the current…

The purpose of this single-case experimental design (SCED) study is to investigate how adaptive prompts in virtual reality (VR)-based social skills training affect the social skills performance of autistic children. Adaptive prompts are driven by autistic children's emotional states. To integrate adaptive prompts in VR-based training, we conducted…

This exploratory study, framed by the Contextual Model of Learning, sought to define the personal context of autistic visitors and their families attending a sensory-friendly natural history museum event as a science learning experience. The study focused on the motivations and expectations for visiting the museum, as well as how the inclusion of…

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop and test a virtual reality application designed to put the participants "in the shoes" of an autistic person during a routine task. Method: The study involved a randomized controlled trial that included 103 participants recruited from a technical college. Each participant responded to…

Joint attention is essential for establishing effective social communication. However, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often exhibit deficits in joint attention, which hinder their social interactions with peers and adults. Traditional assessment methods predominantly rely on expert observation, lacking objective measures of…

Extended reality (XR) such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) has been heralded as a particularly promising technology for autistic people. However, prior studies have centered around curing or ameliorating deficits and impairments and are typically conducted by non-disabled and non-autistic researchers. Using co-design and a…

Autistic children have differences in their movements which impact their functional performance. Virtual-reality enables researchers to study movement in safe, engaging environments. We used motion-capture to measure how 7-13-year-old autistic and neurotypical children make whole-body movements in a virtual-reality task. Although children in both…

Autistic people often experience difficulties navigating face-to-face social interactions. Historically, the empirical literature has characterised these difficulties as cognitive 'deficits' in social information processing. However, the empirical basis for such claims is lacking, with most studies failing to capture the complexity of social…

The primary aim of this systematic review is to investigate the inclusion of autistic individuals in the design process of immersive technologies. This study follows the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses standards for systematic literature reviews. To ensure the research questions and subsequent stages of the…

Background: The job interview can be challenging for autistic adolescents considering the required social communication skills. Further, having decreased awareness of personal strengths may make it difficult to advocate for oneself to a future employer. The purpose of the current pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to examine the…

Autistic children have significant difficulties in recognizing and labeling emotions, difficulties which may hinder the natural development of their ability to express and regulate further emotions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an augmented reality emotion recognition program (ARERP) delivered in a group format on the…