Construction and Intervention Study of PRT Method in Electronic Game Models for Children with ASD (Preprint)

BACKGROUND This study aims to develop an intervention framework that integrates Pivotal Response Training (PRT) into electronic games for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and evaluates its effectiveness in enhancing the socialization. OBJECTIVE This study aims to develop an intervention framework that integrates Pivotal Response Training (PRT) into electronic games for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and evaluates its effectiveness in enhancing the socialization. METHODS The intervention involved integrating PRT into electronic games, ncluding content design, interactive design, and offline generalization training. An experimental framework was established, and five game content sets were optimized to create a functional game. Fourteen children with mild to moderate ASD participated in an 8-week empirical evaluation. They were randomly assigned to the experimental group (PRT + game training) or the control group (regular games + conventional training). RESULTS The results showed a significant interaction effect between group and time in interpersonal relationships and imitation skills (ps < 0.05), while moderate effects were observed in emotional response, relationships with inanimate objects, sensory responses, non-verbal communication, and activity level (ps < 0.1). Within-group analysis revealed that the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements starting from the fifth session (ps = 0.0315), with an overall significant effect (ps = 0.00167). CONCLUSIONS The experimental group outperformed the control group in interpersonal relationships, imitation, and showed notable advantages in emotional response, perceptual abilities, and activity level. These findings suggest that factors like game difficulty progression, simplified interaction, itemized interventions, and timely feedback play a crucial role in the effectiveness of PRT integrated with game therapy for children with ASD.