Evaluating the Effectiveness of Using Virtual Reality Interventions on Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a Psychopathic disorder characterized by abnormal communication and verbal behaviors. ASD is very common in children, affecting about 1 in 160 individuals, and the symptoms of this disorder appear before the age of three, and the main cause is still unknown. The effectiveness of this technology on the abilities required for people with ASD to communicate in a social setting has been the subject of several systematic and comprehensive studies.  Methods: A systematic review by searching in PubMed, EMBASE and CINAHL for publications was conducted from 1 January 2012 to 30 May 2021 involving use of virtual reality interventions on children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in which autism, autism spectrum disorder, ASD, virtual reality, VR keywords were utilized. Three reviewers independently investigated search results for inclusion in analysis and resolved disagreements by consensus. Results: Literature research of databases specifies a total of 808 records. According to the abstract and the full text of the studies, after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria and eliminating duplicates and screening articles, 15 articles were selected for final review based on the PICO criteria (population, intervention, comparison and results). The studies focused on the five topics of emotion and social interaction, social communication, daily life skills, specific fears and anxieties, physical activity, and attention. Conclusion: According to reports, the findings rightly claim that the use of virtual reality technologies not only improves the social and communication skills of children with ASD, but also provides them with an engaging and enjoyable experience. Moreover, Parents indicated high satisfaction with VR applications and this technology can contain many benefits in the treatment of ASD.