Effectiveness of Social Robot-Assisted Intervention Combined With Board Games on Socio-Emotional Skills in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
This pilot randomized controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of combining social robot-assisted intervention with physical board games to improve socio-emotional skills in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Children with ASD often face challenges in emotion recognition, emotional regulation, and social interaction. This study aims to investigate whether integrating an interactive social robot (Kebbi) into board game activities can enhance children's social engagement, emotional comprehension, and cooperative behaviors compared to conventional occupational therapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the robot-assisted board game group or the conventional occupational therapy group.
• Children aged 4 to 10 years, of any biological sex.
• Confirmed clinical diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• Cognitive ability: Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers (CDIIT) results indicating borderline to normal cognitive function, with a Developmental Quotient (DQ) \>= 70.
• Socio-emotional ability: CDIIT socio-emotional subscale indicating borderline development, with a Developmental Quotient (DQ) between 70 and 84.
• Legal guardian provides written informed consent and child provides assent where appropriate.