None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR)-based emotional intelligence (EI) training for adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Oman. The study hypothesizes that virtual reality-based emotional intelligence (EI) training will improve emotion recognition, social interaction, and empathy in adolescents with ASD. The training focuses on improving skills such as emotion recognition, social interaction, and empathy through simulated real-life social scenarios. The study will use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design, with participants randomly assigned to either the VR intervention group or a control group receiving standard care. The research will assess the impact of the VR training on emotional intelligence using established scales and will also evaluate the feasibility of VR as an intervention based on feedback from parents and therapists. This study is particularly important for addressing the growing needs of individuals with autism in Oman, where autism services are limited, and aims to develop culturally relevant interventions to enhance autism care and access to support. The findings could help integrate VR into autism therapies, improve service delivery, and inform healthcare policies in the region.
Interventions
Brief Name: Virtual Reality-Based Emotional Intelligence Training Program for Children with Autism
Description of Intervention:
The intervention being studied is a Virtual Reality (VR)-based Emotional Intelligence (EI) training program for children with autism. The primary focus of this intervention is to enhance the children's EI, specifically in emotion recognition, social interaction, and empathy, centered around four basic emotions: happiness, anger, sadness, and fear.
Physical or Informa
Brief Name: Virtual Reality-Based Emotional Intelligence Training Program for Children with Autism Description of Intervention: The intervention being studied is a Virtual Reality (VR)-based Emotional Intelligence (EI) training program for children with autism. The primary focus of this intervention is to enhance the children's EI, specifically in emotion recognition, social interaction, and empathy, centered around four basic emotions: happiness, anger, sadness, and fear. Physical or Informational Materials Used: The intervention utilizes the MetaQuest VR headset, a user-friendly device that allows for immersive interaction with avatars. The software used in this study is Autism Virtual Adventure Land (AVAL), a customized VR application specifically designed for children with autism. It features engaging and culturally sensitive scenarios that promote the development of emotional intelligence. Procedures, Activities, and Processes: The intervention will be conducted over a 4 to 6-week period with 2 to 3 sessions per week, each lasting 20 to 30 minutes. Each session follows a structured format: # Briefing: Children will be introduced to the VR tasks and provided with instructions on how to use the system. # VR Training: Children will engage in interactions with avatars where they will make decisions based on emotional prompts, practice social interactions, and develop empathy. # Debriefing: After each session, children will reflect on their experience with a debriefing session, helping them connect the skills learned in the VR training to real-world situations. Mode of Delivery: The intervention will be delivered face-to-face in a quiet, controlled environment at the National Autism Centre (NAC), Muscat, Oman. The researcher, HDR student, the VR technical staff, and a therapist will be present during each session to provide guidance and ensure the comfort and safety of the participants. Who Will Deliver the Intervention: The intervention will be delivered by the researcher, the HDR candidate, whose background is in medicine with experience in working with children with autism. The therapist of the NAC will oversee the VR sessions, monitor the children's well-being, and provide support during and after the sessions. The VR technical staff will ensure the VR environment functions correctly. Personalization: The intervention will be adapted to meet the needs of individual participants as necessary. If needed, the researcher, along with the therapist and VR staff, will adjust the lighting, sounds to avoid any oversensitivity, and difficulty level of the VR tasks to ensure the child is appropriately challenged but not overwhelmed. Adherence/Fidelity Assessment: The therapist will monitor each session to ensure that the intervention is delivered consistently and that the children are engaging appropriately with the VR tasks. Any deviations from the planned protocol will be recorded and addressed. Location: The sessions will be conducted at the National Autism Centre, Muscat, in a controlled, quiet room designed to minimize distractions.
Sponsors
RMIT University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
12 Years to 18 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
# Adolescents aged 12–18 years. # Confirmed diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by a medical team. # Verbal communication abilities and capacity to understand basic instructions to ensure engagement with the VR intervention. # Participants must express interest in participating and provide assent. # Parents or guardians must provide informed consent. # Participants must be on a stable dose of any ongoing medication for at least 4 weeks prior to the study to minimize the influence of medication changes on the outcomes. #Sufficient visual acuity and motor coordination required to interact with the VR system.
Exclusion criteria
# Participants with significant cognitive, psychiatric, or physical comorbidities that may interfere with participation or confound study outcomes. # Severe sensory impairments, such as blindness or deafness, which would prevent engagement in the VR intervention. # History of epilepsy or seizure disorders that could be triggered by virtual reality environments. # Participants with severe hypersensitivity to light or sound that may result in sensory overload during VR sessions. Although the VR program includes customizable settings to adjust brightness and sound, children with extreme sensitivities that cannot be mitigated will be excluded. # Participants with severe emotional dysregulation or behavioural challenges, including aggression, self-harm, or uncontrolled tantrums, that would hinder safe and effective engagement with the VR program. # Participants who have taken part in any other intensive emotional intelligence or virtual reality-based training programs within the last 3–6 months, to avoid carryover effects impacting the results of the current intervention.
Outcome results
None listed