Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Aug 4;11(8):7767-802.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph110807767.

Technologies as support tools for persons with autistic spectrum disorder: a systematic review

Nuria Aresti-Bartolome  1 , Begonya Garcia-Zapirain  2
Affiliations

Technologies as support tools for persons with autistic spectrum disorder: a systematic review

Nuria Aresti-Bartolome et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

This study analyzes the technologies most widely used to work on areas affected by the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Technologies can focus on the strengths and weaknesses of this disorder as they make it possible to create controlled environments, reducing the anxiety produced by real social situations. Extensive research has proven the efficiency of technologies as support tools for therapy and their acceptation by ASD sufferers and the people who are with them on a daily basis. This article is organized by the types of systems developed: virtual reality applications, telehealth systems, social robots and dedicated applications, all of which are classified by the areas they center on: communication, social learning and imitation skills and other ASD-associated conditions. 40.5% of the research conducted is found to be focused on communication as opposed to 37.8% focused on learning and social imitation skills and 21.6% which underlines problems associated with this disorder. Although most of the studies reveal how useful these tools are in therapy, they are generic tools for ASD sufferers in general, which means there is a lack of personalised tools to meet each person's needs.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Graph of studies on virtual reality and autism.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Graph of computer application and autism research.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Graph of studies on telehealth and autism.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Graph of studies on robots and autism.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Summary of the technologies reviewed.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Analysis of the areas treated by using mixed reality, dedicated applications and robots.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Analysis by technology and area being treated.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Tsai L.Y. Sensitivity and specificity: DSM-IV versus DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder. Amer. J. Psychiat. 2012;169:1009–1011. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.12070922. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Esposito G., Venuti P. Symmetry in infancy: Analysis of motor development in autism spectrum disorders. Symmetry. 2009;1:215–225. doi: 10.3390/sym1020215. - DOI
    1. Rodríguez-Barrionuevo A.C., Rodríguez-Vives M.A. Diagnóstico clínico del autismo. Rev. Neurol. 2002;34:72–77. (In Spanish) - PubMed
    1. Javaloyes M. Autismo: Criterios diagnósticos y diagnóstico diferencial. Pediatr. Integr. 2004;8:655–662. (In Spanish)
    1. Álvarez-alcántara E. Trastornos del espectro autista. Rev. Mex. Pediatr. 2007;74:269–276. (In Spanish)

Publication types