Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by socio-emotional deficits, and difficulties with pretend play skills. Play skills are related to processes of adaptive functioning and emotion understanding. The present pilot study implemented an in-person pretend play intervention to school-aged children (ages 6 to 9 years,…

Technological advances have facilitated robots to perform a variety of human-like functions which have steered the interest of educators, researchers, and practitioners to discover the potential advantage of using robots as an intervention for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Through meta-analysis, this study provides research-based…

To promote health care transition services (HCTS) among youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is important to understand their access to HCTS and the association with functioning. We conducted weighted descriptive statistics and regressions. Findings suggested that HCTS were inconsistently provided to youth with ASD. Access to two or more…

In this study, the researchers explored the usage of a virtual reality (VR)-based social skills learning environment for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Using OpenSimulator, the researchers constructed a desktop VR-based learning environment that supports social-oriented role-play, gaming, and design by children with ASD. Seven 10-14…

Video modeling (VM) has demonstrated efficacy in teaching a variety of skills (e.g., social skills, communication, vocational tasks) to learners with autism spectrum disorder. Previous research indicates teachers and learners have supported the use of VM. However, the majority of studies have focused on elementary-school students; less research…

Decades of research have illustrated the linguistic, social, and cognitive growth that occurs in the context of play (e.g., Baron-Cohen, 1987; Lifter, Foster-Sanda, Arzamarski, Briesch, & McClure, 2011; Lillard et al., 2013; Ungerer & Sigman, 1984). Play also provides opportunities to practice and gain important social skills. During play…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by deficits in social communication, interaction, and stereotypical behaviours. Children with ASD have not enough opportunities to participate in physical activity (PA), which lead to increase fitness and health problem. The aim of this study was to compare two…

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often associated with intellectual disability (ID). ASD-specific group concepts usually focus on people on a high functioning level. The Autism-Competence-Group (AutCom) combines a psycho-educative approach with music and dance/movement interventions in adults with ASD and ID. AutCom includes 16 structured…

The use of socially assistive robotics (SARs) is a promising method for improving the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies conducted in this field in recent years show that the use of robots as collaborators may have positive effects on the development of social skills in children with ASD, especially in those…

Purpose: The rollout of individualised disability funding in Australia resulted in an increased demand for services for people with a disability, particularly support for the high percentage of Australians with autism spectrum disorder. Continuing professional development is one way to grow and maintain a skilled workforce; however, face-to-face…

Social development is one of the most critical developmental areas for human beings. Deficits in social skills may negatively impact several essential domains including academic achievement, interpersonal relationships, behavior, mental health, and adult life outcome. Individuals with autism present with core deficits in social skills. Without…

Mental health and developmental challenges that emerge in early childhood can be associated with difficulty in social interactions and behavioural regulation. With educational policies increasingly promoting inclusion in early learning settings, educators are being called upon to support children's social-emotional competence through…

There is an increased number of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder who are reaching the age where they should be entering the workforce, however, 50-70% are unemployed and these percentages are higher than any other disability group. Although school-based programming attempts to prepare students to transition into the workplace, current…

There is a growing interest in understanding how individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience empathy to explore their social-emotional and communication impairments. Although there has been considerable research into autism and cognitive empathy, research into emotional empathy is scarce, and there is less on the impact of teaching…

Although parent-assisted social skills interventions may reduce early social challenges in preschool-aged children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), limited research has explored whether intervention gains maintain several years after treatment. This study examined the durability of PEERS® for Preschoolers, a parent-mediated social skills…