What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a gaming intervention for enhancing social skills in individuals with autism.

May 31, 2026Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders0 citationsOpen Access

Supporting Social Skills in Autism Through Motion-Based Gaming Technology: A Feasibility Study

GDGiulia D’ArgenioUniversity of Udine AAAnna AntoniolUniversity of Trieste JCJasmine Maria Alessandra CardellaFondazione Progetto Ematologia

Key Points

The aim was to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a gaming intervention for enhancing social skills in individuals with autism.
Twenty-eight participants with autism spectrum disorders engaged in 10 sessions over 5 weeks in virtual games requiring coordination with a partner.
Participants were divided into two groups: PEER (partner) and EDU (therapist) for collaboration during the sessions.
Neuropsychological and behavioral measures were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and after 3 months.
Both PEER and EDU groups showed improvements in Theory of Mind, maintained at 3 months post-intervention.
The EDU group had significant gains in Memory for Faces, likely due to the focus on facial engagement by therapists.
Motion-based gaming was effective in improving social and cognitive skills, although limitations such as lack of a control group were noted.

Abstract

Abstract Purpose This study evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a motion-based gaming intervention designed to enhance social skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Methods Twenty-eight participants with ASD took part in 10 sessions (5 weeks), engaging in cooperative virtual games. Each session required coordination with a partner. Half of the participants (PEER group) collaborated with a peer, while the other half (EDU group) worked with a therapist. Neuropsychological and behavioral measures were collected at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T2), and after 3-month (T3). Results Both groups showed improvements in Theory of Mind, which were maintained at T3. Notably, the EDU group also demonstrated significant gains in Memory for Faces, possibly due to therapists’ focus on facial engagement. Motion-based gaming, especially when supported by educators, appears effective in improving social and cognitive skills in people with ASD. Limitations (i.e., the absence of a control group and test sensitivity) warrant consideration in future research.

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