한빛사논문
- 조회438
Joo Hyun Lee a,#, Tae Seon Lee b,c,#, Su Young Yoo d,e, Seung Woo Lee f, Ji Hye Jang a, Ye jin Choi d, Yu Rang Park a
aDepartment of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
bDepartment of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
cCenter for Medical Education, Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya University, Japan
dDoBrain Co., Ltd., Seoul, South Korea
eDepartment of Digital Health, Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, South Korea
fGraduate School of Information and Communication Technology, Ajou University, Suwon, South Korea
#Contributed equally.
Corresponding author : Yu Rang Park
Abstract
Background
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterised by abnormalities in social interactions and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Children with high-functioning ASD (HFASD), lack social communication skills, do not interact with others, and lack peer relationships. We aimed to develop, and evaluate the feasibility of, a metaverse-based programme to enhance the social skills of children with HFASD.
Methods
This open-label, single-centre, pilot parallel randomised controlled trial (RCT) was conducted on boys aged 7–12 years with HFASD. Children were recruited from a treatment centre for children with HFASD in Korea or by self-referral through online community webpages for the parents of children with HFASD. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) by a blinded researcher to receive either four weeks of a metaverse-based social skills training programme or a control group. Randomisation was stratified by age (children aged 7–9 and 10–12 years) using permuted blocks (block size 4). The metaverse-based social skills training programme was delivered via the metaverse platforms (Roblox) and Zoom. Children in the intervention group completed the metaverse-based social skills training programme at home for four weeks. The intervention consisted of four sessions, one session per week, for 60 min each. The control group did not receive any interventions. The primary outcome measure was the median change in the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2) scores from pre-to post-intervention. SRS-2 is an assessment tool used to confirm the effectiveness of social interactions. Higher scores indicate lower social functioning. The trial is registered with CRIS Registration Number; KCT0006859.
Findings
Between February 14, 2022, and March 31, 2022, 20 participants were enrolled. Overall, 15 children (median [Interquartile range (IQR)] age, intervention group: 9.0 [8.0–10.0]; control group: 8.5 [8.0–10.0]) participated in the programme. The intervention group included nine participants (60%), and the control group included six participants (40%). The SRS-2 total scores for the intervention group decreased from baseline 96.0 (IQR: 74.0–112.0) to post-intervention 85.0 (IQR: 84.0–103.0). The group median difference in SRS-2 scores between the intervention and control groups was 11.5 (95% CI: 8.5–14.0), with a further reduction in the intervention group. Similar trends were seen for social cognition (group median difference, 95% CI: 2.0, 1.0–4.0), social communication (group median difference, 95% CI: 2.0, 1.0–4.0), and autistic mannerism (group median difference, 95% CI: 4.0, 1.0–5.0). There were no adverse events related to study participation.
Interpretation
The findings of this feasibility study suggest that children with HFASD can potentially be familiarised, through metaverse-based programmes, with real-life social situations to improve sociality and reduce emotional and behavioural problems. Such interventions could be delivered at home and possibly be extended to target groups that have difficulty in interacting with peers offline.
논문정보
- Research article
- 2023년 07월 (BRIC 등록일 2023-07-06)
- 국내 연구진
- 의약학 > 응용의학
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