Psychomotor intervention through serious games in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder using a therapeutic robot

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发表日期：

2024年6月19日

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Sheila da Luz Schreider,
Josiany Carlos de Souza,
Éberte Valter da Silva Freitas,
João Antonio Campos Panceri,
Eliete Maria de Oliveira Caldeira,
Teodiano Freire Bastos-Filho

摘要

Introduction

The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by an atypical neuropsychomotor development and communication.

Methodology

In this work, a socially assistive robot termed MARIA T21 (Mobile Autonomous Robot for Interaction with Autistics and Trisomy 21) was used for interaction and application of serious games to children with ASD. The sample was composed of two groups: the first one with seven children with ASD, who had ten sessions with the robot at the Association of Friends of Autistics from Espirito Santo State (AMAES) in Vitoria, Brazil; and second group composed of four children with ASD, who had four sessions with the robot at the Association of Parents and Friends of Exceptional People (APAE) in Vila Velha, Brazil. The protocol was composed of four serious games, which stimulated postural balance, proprioception, and motor coordination.

Results and conclusions

The utilization of the robot and serious games proved to be an important therapy tool, providing the children with playful activities, increasing their engagement, and providing them with a greater interaction between body and mind. In the evaluation of the psychomotor profile through the Psychomotor Battery by Victor da Fonseca, both groups had a statistically significant difference before and after the psychomotor intervention.