Understanding the Role of Objects in Joint Attention Task Framework for Children with Autism

Joint Attention (JA) refers to the triadic relationship between two individuals with a common target of interest in their shared visual space. JA is one of the core deficits in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which adversely affects their overall socio-communicative development. Researchers have focused on the JA skill training using various approaches where the mediator/facilitator provides the JA cues toward a target of interest. Research studies have used different objects as targets of interest in JA skill training. However, the role of the objects for JA skill training has often been neglected. Objects in our environment aid in mediating the social relationships between children and their social partners and establishing socio-communicative relations with the environment. In this study, we have designed a virtual environment with virtual objects to understand the role of objects in JA skill training for individuals with ASD. We have created a database of virtual objects and projected these objects in a computer-based JA task framework. Based on a survey, we selected objects that were preferred by these children, with the rest being comparatively less preferred. Our experimental study involves presenting the designed virtual objects in a randomized manner in the computer-based JA task trials. Results of this study with a group of 15 children with ASD were promising. The results of this study indicate differentiated implications of preferred objects presented as target and non-target on the task performance and looking pattern of these children.