Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic Review
BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology has shown significant potential in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ObjectiveThis study aimed to systematically review the evidence supporting the effectiveness o...
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JMIR Publications
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e60845 |
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| author | Xipeng Yang Jinlong Wu Yudan Ma Jingxuan Yu Hong Cao Aihua Zeng Rui Fu Yucheng Tang Zhanbing Ren |
| author_facet | Xipeng Yang Jinlong Wu Yudan Ma Jingxuan Yu Hong Cao Aihua Zeng Rui Fu Yucheng Tang Zhanbing Ren |
| author_sort | Xipeng Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
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BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology has shown significant potential in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
ObjectiveThis study aimed to systematically review the evidence supporting the effectiveness of VR technology in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with ASD.
MethodsThe search for eligible studies encompassed 4 databases: PubMed, Web of Science, IEEE, and Scopus. Two (XY and JW) researchers independently assessed the extracted studies according to predefined criteria for inclusion and exclusion. These researchers also independently extracted information regarding gathered data on the sources, samples, measurement methods, primary results, and data related to the main results of the studies that met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was further evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale.
ResultsThis review analyzed 14 studies on using VR technology interventions to improve social skills in children and adolescents with ASD. Our findings indicate that VR interventions have a positive effect on improving social skills in children and adolescents with ASD. Compared with individuals with low-functioning autism (LFA), those with high-functioning autism (HFA) benefited more from the intervention. The duration and frequency of the intervention may also influence its effectiveness. In addition, immersive VR is more suitable for training complex skills in individuals with HFA. At the same time, nonimmersive VR stands out in terms of lower cost and flexibility, making it more appropriate for basic skill interventions for people with LFA. Finally, while VR technology positively enhances social skills, some studies have reported potential adverse side effects. According to the quality assessment using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale, of the 14 studies, 6 (43%) were classified as high quality, 4 (29%) as moderate quality, and 4 (29%) as low quality.
ConclusionsThis systematic review found that VR technology interventions positively impact social skills in children and adolescents with ASD, with particularly significant effects on the enhancement of complex social skills in individuals with HFA. For children and adolescents with LFA, progress was mainly observed in basic skills. Immersive VR interventions are more suitable for the development of complex skills. At the same time, nonimmersive VR, due to its lower cost and greater flexibility, also holds potential for application in specific contexts. However, the use of VR technology may lead to side effects such as dizziness, eye fatigue, and sensory overload, particularly in immersive settings. These potential issues should be carefully addressed in intervention designs to ensure user comfort and safety. Future research should focus on optimizing individualized interventions and further exploring the long-term effects of VR interventions.
Trial RegistrationInternational Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols INPLASY202420079U1; https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-2-0079/ |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ceb9871c0cd44eccb961fa0b87495813 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
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| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-ceb9871c0cd44eccb961fa0b874958132025-02-05T13:00:46ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712025-02-0127e6084510.2196/60845Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic ReviewXipeng Yanghttps://orcid.org/0009-0002-8551-7430Jinlong Wuhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0694-3144Yudan Mahttps://orcid.org/0009-0003-1677-7471Jingxuan Yuhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6006-3156Hong Caohttps://orcid.org/0009-0005-7768-8223Aihua Zenghttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-9922-1297Rui Fuhttps://orcid.org/0009-0004-2957-059XYucheng Tanghttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-6169-0004Zhanbing Renhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2999-9239 BackgroundVirtual reality (VR) technology has shown significant potential in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ObjectiveThis study aimed to systematically review the evidence supporting the effectiveness of VR technology in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with ASD. MethodsThe search for eligible studies encompassed 4 databases: PubMed, Web of Science, IEEE, and Scopus. Two (XY and JW) researchers independently assessed the extracted studies according to predefined criteria for inclusion and exclusion. These researchers also independently extracted information regarding gathered data on the sources, samples, measurement methods, primary results, and data related to the main results of the studies that met the inclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was further evaluated using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. ResultsThis review analyzed 14 studies on using VR technology interventions to improve social skills in children and adolescents with ASD. Our findings indicate that VR interventions have a positive effect on improving social skills in children and adolescents with ASD. Compared with individuals with low-functioning autism (LFA), those with high-functioning autism (HFA) benefited more from the intervention. The duration and frequency of the intervention may also influence its effectiveness. In addition, immersive VR is more suitable for training complex skills in individuals with HFA. At the same time, nonimmersive VR stands out in terms of lower cost and flexibility, making it more appropriate for basic skill interventions for people with LFA. Finally, while VR technology positively enhances social skills, some studies have reported potential adverse side effects. According to the quality assessment using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale, of the 14 studies, 6 (43%) were classified as high quality, 4 (29%) as moderate quality, and 4 (29%) as low quality. ConclusionsThis systematic review found that VR technology interventions positively impact social skills in children and adolescents with ASD, with particularly significant effects on the enhancement of complex social skills in individuals with HFA. For children and adolescents with LFA, progress was mainly observed in basic skills. Immersive VR interventions are more suitable for the development of complex skills. At the same time, nonimmersive VR, due to its lower cost and greater flexibility, also holds potential for application in specific contexts. However, the use of VR technology may lead to side effects such as dizziness, eye fatigue, and sensory overload, particularly in immersive settings. These potential issues should be carefully addressed in intervention designs to ensure user comfort and safety. Future research should focus on optimizing individualized interventions and further exploring the long-term effects of VR interventions. Trial RegistrationInternational Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols INPLASY202420079U1; https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-2-0079/https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e60845 |
| spellingShingle | Xipeng Yang Jinlong Wu Yudan Ma Jingxuan Yu Hong Cao Aihua Zeng Rui Fu Yucheng Tang Zhanbing Ren Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic Review Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic Review |
| title_full | Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic Review |
| title_short | Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Technology Interventions in Improving the Social Skills of Children and Adolescents With Autism: Systematic Review |
| title_sort | effectiveness of virtual reality technology interventions in improving the social skills of children and adolescents with autism systematic review |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e60845 |
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