Virtual Reality based Avatar-mediated Joint Attention Task for Children with Autism: Implication on Performance and Physiology

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are characterized by Joint Attention (JA) skill deficits limiting social communication. In conventional settings, therapist delivers prompting cues towards targets for administering JA task. Therapist delivers need-based prompting cues (gaze, head turn, finger pointing) sequentially with increased prompt-related information. These therapies are often costly. Alternatively, use of computer-based platforms augmented with virtual reality (VR) is explored. Current VR-based JA platforms have used only avatar (Virtual Character)-mediated gaze-based cueing without exploring implications of other cues on one's task performance. Presently, we have implemented avatar-mediated gaze-followed by-gaze and head turn-followed by-gaze, head turn and finger pointing JA cues presented sequentially. Lastly, environment-triggered sparkling cue from target was added. Also, we explored physiology to investigate possible cognitive effort in response to JA cues. Study with ten typically developing and six children with ASD indicates differentiated implications of JA cues and task challenges on performance and cognitive effort.