Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis
In recent years, the application of virtual reality (VR) for therapeutic purposes has escalated dramatically. Favorable properties of VR for engaging patients with autism, in particular, have motivated an enormous body of investigations targeting autism-related disabilities with this technology. Thi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.665326/full |
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| author | Behnam Karami Behnam Karami Behnam Karami Roxana Koushki Roxana Koushki Fariba Arabgol Fariba Arabgol Maryam Rahmani Abdol-Hossein Vahabie Abdol-Hossein Vahabie |
| author_facet | Behnam Karami Behnam Karami Behnam Karami Roxana Koushki Roxana Koushki Fariba Arabgol Fariba Arabgol Maryam Rahmani Abdol-Hossein Vahabie Abdol-Hossein Vahabie |
| author_sort | Behnam Karami |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In recent years, the application of virtual reality (VR) for therapeutic purposes has escalated dramatically. Favorable properties of VR for engaging patients with autism, in particular, have motivated an enormous body of investigations targeting autism-related disabilities with this technology. This study aims to provide a comprehensive meta-analysis for evaluating the effectiveness of VR on the rehabilitation and training of individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Accordingly, we conducted a systematic search of related databases and, after screening for inclusion criteria, reviewed 33 studies for more detailed analysis. Results revealed that individuals undergoing VR training have remarkable improvements with a relatively large effect size with Hedges g of 0.74. Furthermore, the results of the analysis of different skills indicated diverse effectiveness. The strongest effect was observed for daily living skills (g = 1.15). This effect was moderate for other skills: g = 0.45 for cognitive skills, g = 0.46 for emotion regulation and recognition skills, and g = 0.69 for social and communication skills. Moreover, five studies that had used augmented reality also showed promising efficacy (g = 0.92) that calls for more research on this tool. In conclusion, the application of VR-based settings in clinical practice is highly encouraged, although their standardization and customization need more research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:14:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c35f985f92f54354ade25fa3e5a1f41d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T04:14:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-c35f985f92f54354ade25fa3e5a1f41d2022-12-21T19:16:21ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-06-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.665326665326Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-AnalysisBehnam Karami0Behnam Karami1Behnam Karami2Roxana Koushki3Roxana Koushki4Fariba Arabgol5Fariba Arabgol6Maryam Rahmani7Abdol-Hossein Vahabie8Abdol-Hossein Vahabie9School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, IranCognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, German Primate Center, Goettingen, GermanySchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranSchool of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, IranSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranBehavioral Science Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranSchool of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, University of Tehran, Tehran, IranControl and Intelligent Processing Center of Excellence (CIPCE), Cognitive Systems Laboratory, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, IranIn recent years, the application of virtual reality (VR) for therapeutic purposes has escalated dramatically. Favorable properties of VR for engaging patients with autism, in particular, have motivated an enormous body of investigations targeting autism-related disabilities with this technology. This study aims to provide a comprehensive meta-analysis for evaluating the effectiveness of VR on the rehabilitation and training of individuals diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. Accordingly, we conducted a systematic search of related databases and, after screening for inclusion criteria, reviewed 33 studies for more detailed analysis. Results revealed that individuals undergoing VR training have remarkable improvements with a relatively large effect size with Hedges g of 0.74. Furthermore, the results of the analysis of different skills indicated diverse effectiveness. The strongest effect was observed for daily living skills (g = 1.15). This effect was moderate for other skills: g = 0.45 for cognitive skills, g = 0.46 for emotion regulation and recognition skills, and g = 0.69 for social and communication skills. Moreover, five studies that had used augmented reality also showed promising efficacy (g = 0.92) that calls for more research on this tool. In conclusion, the application of VR-based settings in clinical practice is highly encouraged, although their standardization and customization need more research.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.665326/fullautism spectrum disordervirtual realityrehabilitationtechnologyaugmented reality |
| spellingShingle | Behnam Karami Behnam Karami Behnam Karami Roxana Koushki Roxana Koushki Fariba Arabgol Fariba Arabgol Maryam Rahmani Abdol-Hossein Vahabie Abdol-Hossein Vahabie Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Frontiers in Psychiatry autism spectrum disorder virtual reality rehabilitation technology augmented reality |
| title | Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis |
| title_full | Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis |
| title_short | Effectiveness of Virtual/Augmented Reality–Based Therapeutic Interventions on Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis |
| title_sort | effectiveness of virtual augmented reality based therapeutic interventions on individuals with autism spectrum disorder a comprehensive meta analysis |
| topic | autism spectrum disorder virtual reality rehabilitation technology augmented reality |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.665326/full |
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