Metaverse-based social skills training programme for children with autism spectrum disorder to improve social interaction ability: an open-label, single-centre, randomised controlled pilot trial

Lee, JooHyun; Lee, Tae Seon; Yoo, Su Young; Lee, Seung Woo; Jang, Ji Hye; Choi, Yejin; Park, Yu Rang

doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102072

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Roblox allows users to foster their creativity and flex their imagination, as it provides the tools to create anything they desire, and can be used to improve one's teamwork and social skills. Lee et al found that metaverse-based social skills training programs, in Roblox, can aid children (7–12 years old) with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in developing social skills and reducing problematic behaviors [4 ▪ ].…”

Section: Gamingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caring for screenagers (part 2): a pediatrician's primer on popular games and educational tools

Margolis,

Barile,

Cason

et al. 2024

Current Opinion in Pediatrics

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Purpose of review The internet has changed the way children can work and play. With the preferences of the youth population constantly evolving, it is important that parents and pediatricians continue to be informed of the ways children spend their time on the internet. Online gaming continues to soar in popularity, as does school usage of educational platforms. Recent findings Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft are three examples of games that have widespread popularity among youth populations. Though none of the game are designed to display graphic violence, sexual content, or other features that could be considered off-limits for children, there still ways for children to exposed to inappropriate material or engage with strangers. The rise in popularity of eSports also reflects changing attitudes about the value of gaming. On the educational side, school-student platforms and powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tools are becoming more and more prevalent. Summary Parents should not simply know which games or educational tools their children are using, but understand them. This article seeks to provide some insight into popular games and platforms so that parents and pediatricians can make better decisions about what children access.

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Section: Gamingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Caring for screenagers (part 2): a pediatrician's primer on popular games and educational tools

Margolis,

Barile,

Cason

et al. 2024

Current Opinion in Pediatrics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…One of the first attempts to develop a metaverse-based social skills training program to enhance the capacity for social interaction has been launched by Lee et al in 2022 [ 41 ] and terminated in 2023 [ 42 ••]. The metaverse game platform (Roblox) was employed to deliver the metaverse-based social skills training program (four 1-h sessions a week, for 4 total weeks) to 20 ASD individuals.…”

Section: Metaverse Applications In Mental Disorders: the First Evidencementioning

confidence: 99%

Metaverse in Mental Health: The Beginning of a Long History

Cerasa,

Gaggioli,

Pioggia

et al. 2024

Curr Psychiatry Rep

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Purpose of Review We review the first pilot studies applying metaverse-related technologies in psychiatric patients and discuss the rationale for using this complex federation of technologies to treat mental diseases. Concerning previous virtual-reality applications in medical care, metaverse technologies provide the unique opportunity to define, control, and shape virtual scenarios shared by multi-users to exploit the “synchronized brains” potential exacerbated by social interactions. Recent Findings The application of an avatar-based sexual therapy program conducted on a metaverse platform has been demonstrated to be more effective concerning traditional sexual coaching for treating female orgasm disorders. Again, a metaverse-based social skills training program has been tested on children with autism spectrum disorders, demonstrating a significant impact on social interaction abilities. Summary Metaverse-related technologies could enable us to develop new reliable approaches for treating diseases where behavioral symptoms can be addressed using socio-attentive tasks and social-interaction strategies.

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Development of a Social Communication Intervention Application for Adolescents with ASD and SCD: Protocol for a Pilot Clinical Trial (Preprint)

Joung,

Lee,

Cho

et al. 2024

Preprint

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BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and social communication disorder (SCD) are characterized by deficits in social communication that hinder social adaptation, with limited pharmacologic options for therapy due to the absence of identified biomarkers. OBJECTIVE Recognizing the need for accessible and cost-effective interventions, we developed the digital therapeutic NDTx-01, integrating cognitive behavioral therapy principles, story-based interventions, and gamification elements. METHODS This study introduces a protocol for evaluating the efficacy and safety of NDTx-01 through a multicenter, prospective, randomized, assessor-blinded pilot trial involving adolescents aged 1018 years. Participant recruitment and enrollment will be executed in three major medical hospitals, where inter-reliability will be managed by the study team. Enrolled participants, divided into intervention and control groups, will undergo a 6-week intervention with NDTx-01 and usual care or maintain usual care, respectively. The intervention, implemented by NDTx-01, will be structured to last for 6 weeks, with sessions of approximately 10 minutes daily, 5 days a week. Following this, data analysis, including frequency analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, and tests for within-group and between-group differences, will be undertaken. RESULTS As of August 2024, we enrolled 39 patients, and this clinical trial has been successfully completed. CONCLUSIONS Anticipated results, to be published in April 2024, aim to contribute crucial insights into the effectiveness of digital therapeutics as interventions for ASD and SCD in adolescents.

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Metaverse-based social skills training programme for children with autism spectrum disorder to improve social interaction ability: an open-label, single-centre, randomised controlled pilot trial

Cited by 3 publications

References 30 publications

Caring for screenagers (part 2): a pediatrician's primer on popular games and educational tools

Caring for screenagers (part 2): a pediatrician's primer on popular games and educational tools

Metaverse in Mental Health: The Beginning of a Long History

Development of a Social Communication Intervention Application for Adolescents with ASD and SCD: Protocol for a Pilot Clinical Trial (Preprint)

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