Encouraging collaboration in hybrid therapy games for autistic children

Social competence and communicative skills of children with autism spectrum disorders are supported by behavioral therapy. "Serious games", especially therapeutic games on a hybrid medium, have been proven to serve as a useful tool for behavioral therapy. In this work, we present such a hybrid therapy game: "Invasion of the Wrong Planet". Based on the game, we demonstrate essential design principles for the development of therapeutic games. We focus on specific aspects of behavioral therapy, depending on which desired behavior is encouraged and not enforced. The project provides a basis for discussion on how collaboration using therapeutic games in general can be improved.

[1]  Anne Marie Piper,et al.  SIDES: A Cooperative Tabletop Computer Game for Social Skills Development , 2022 .

[2]  J. Rabe-Jabłońska,et al.  [Affective disorders in the fourth edition of the classification of mental disorders prepared by the American Psychiatric Association -- diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders]. , 1993, Psychiatria polska.

[3]  Janet B W Williams,et al.  Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , 2013 .

[4]  S. Baron-Cohen Out of sight or out of mind? Another look at deception in autism. , 1992, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[5]  E. Schopler,et al.  The Teacch Approach to Autism Spectrum Disorders , 2004, Springer US.

[6]  R. Goodman The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: a research note. , 1997, Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines.

[7]  C. Anderson,et al.  The Effects of Prosocial Video Games on Prosocial Behaviors: International Evidence From Correlational, Longitudinal, and Experimental Studies , 2009, Personality & social psychology bulletin.

[8]  Massimo Zancanaro,et al.  Dimensions of collaboration on a tabletop interface for children with autism spectrum disorder , 2011, CHI.

[9]  Fabio Pianesi,et al.  Enhancing social communication of children with high-functioning autism through a co-located interface , 2009, AI & SOCIETY.

[10]  Zoran Popovic,et al.  Experimentation, Human Factors , 2022 .

[11]  Fabio Pianesi,et al.  Collaborative puzzle game: a tabletop interface for fostering collaborative skills in children with autism spectrum disorders , 2010 .

[12]  Joar Vittersø Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Finding Flow. The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life , 2000 .

[13]  M. Csíkszentmihályi Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life , 1997 .

[14]  Larry L. Constantine,et al.  Software for Use - A Practical Guide to the Models and Methods of Usage-Centered Design , 1999 .

[15]  I. Kamp-Becker,et al.  Die Marburger Beurteilungsskala zum Asperger-Syndrom (MBAS) - ein Screening-Verfahren für autistische Störungen auf hohem Funktionsniveau , 2005 .