קידום יכולת פרו-חברתית של ילדי גן עם אוטיזם בתפקוד גבוה באמצעות תכנית התערבות מתווכת מחשב

The study dealt with two main goals: to determine whether there is a gap between children with high-functioning autism (HFASD) and children with typical development in their ability to exhibit pro-social behavior, and to compare pro-social behavior of children with HFASD experiencing a computer-mediated intervention and a non-computer-mediated intervention. 58 children, ages 4-7, participated in the study (28 HFASD, 30 typical development). The group of children with HFASD was divided into two groups: one experiencing computer-mediated intervention and the other experiencing a non-computer-mediated intervention. Through the use of a structured nine session computer program, including video clips, symbols, images, and role-playing, the children experienced effectively transitioning through the stages of problem solving, based on the principles of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). The non-computer-mediated intervention was identical except that printed symbols and images were used in place of computers. Before and after the intervention program observations were held to examine the pro-social ability of the participants.
Findings indicate, that prior to any intervention, there were gaps in the pro-social abilities of children with HFASD and children with typical development. After the intervention, the gap between the two groups decreased. Also, the computer-mediated intervention group improved in some pro-social measures to a greater degree than the group that received a non-computer-mediated intervention and children with typical development.
In conclusion, the study points to the effectiveness of using a computer-mediated intervention program to promote pro-social abilities in preschool age children with HFASD.