Hoang, Thy Anh and Casillas, Claudia and Lopez, Matthew and Villegas-Patterson, Leslie (2023) Neurodiversity-affirming social skills interventions by social robots for autistic individuals: A scoping review. Masters thesis, Stanbridge University.
![[img]](http://repository.stanbridge.edu/style/images/fileicons/text.png) |
Text
MSOTOC012.9.pdf Download (782kB) |
Abstract
Introduction: Research indicates that social robotics effectively assists individuals with autism spectrum disorder. However, these practices may not align with the principles of neurodiversity-affirming approaches, which emphasize acceptance and recognition of neurological differences. Most existing frameworks are rooted in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) methodologies, which a significant portion of the autistic community opposes due to ABA's tendency to normalize and enforce conformity to societal norms. This research will educate attendees about the importance of neurodiversity-affirming practices in occupational therapy (OT) and how social skills interventions provided by social robotics impacts the autistic community. Methods: The research is a scoping review of literature regarding social skills interventions implemented by social robotics for autistic individuals and their neurodiversity-affirming implications. Search terms for this research were as follows: “autism,” “ASD,” “autism spectrum disorder,” “robotics,” “social robotics,” “social skills,” “neurodiversity-affirming,” “ABA,” “applied behavior analysis,” and “strength�based.” Search terms were run through the databases ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Source, PsycINFO, Pubmed, CINAHL Complete, Medline Complete, Academic Search Complete, and ERIC. Results: From an initial pool of 20 research articles, 12 were selected for a comprehensive review. The findings revealed that social robotics interventions hold promise in enhancing social skills, communication, and emotional regulation for autistic individuals across various age groups. While many interventions were rooted in traditional ABA approaches, some exhibited alignment with neurodiversity-affirming approaches, introducing elements like personalized instruction and recognition of an individual's preferences. Limitations were identified, including the scarcity of comprehensive articles due to the emerging nature of neurodiversity-affirming approaches and robot-mediated autistic interventions. Notably, the absence of human subjects in the study eliminated concerns related to recruitment, dropouts, and scheduling. Conclusion: This scoping review addressed the importance of neurodiversity-affirming approaches in social skills interventions using social robotics for autistic individuals with a call for further research to refine these approaches, align them with neurodiversity principles, and address associated challenges. This research contributed to informing the OT community regarding neurodiversity-affirming practices. It explored the potential benefits and challenges associated with these interventions and their alignment with the principles of neurodiversity, ultimately contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of effective and inclusive social skills interventions for autistic individuals. Keywords: autism, ASD, autism spectrum disorder, robotics, social robotics, social skills, neurodiversity-affirming, ABA, applied behavior analysis, strength-based.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | MSOTOC012.9 |
| Subjects: | R Medicine > RC Internal medicine |
| Depositing User: | Kareena Yashko |
| Date Deposited: | 15 May 2024 23:57 |
| Last Modified: | 15 May 2024 23:57 |
| URI: | http://repository.stanbridge.edu/id/eprint/130 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |
