title: Brief Report: A Pilot Summer Robotics Camp to Reduce Social Anxiety and Improve Social/Vocational Skills in Adolescents with ASD.
abstract: This pilot study evaluated a novel intervention designed to reduce social anxiety and improve social/vocational skills for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The intervention utilized a shared interest in robotics among participants to facilitate natural social interaction between individuals with ASD and typically developing (TD) peers. Eight individuals with ASD and eight TD peers ages 12-17 participated in a weeklong robotics camp, during which they learned robotic facts, actively programmed an interactive robot, and learned "career" skills. The ASD group showed a significant decrease in social anxiety and both groups showed an increase in robotics knowledge, although neither group showed a significant increase in social skills. These initial findings suggest that this approach is promising and warrants further study.
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, 1602 N. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN, 46635, USA. juhi.kaboski@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Juhi R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kaboski
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, 1602 N. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN, 46635, USA. joshua.diehl@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Joshua John
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Diehl
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, 1602 N. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN, 46635, USA. jberiont@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beriont
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, 1602 N. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN, 46635, USA. ccrowell@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Crowell
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, 1602 N. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN, 46635, USA. mvillan1@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Villano
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, 1602 N. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN, 46635, USA. Kristin.G.Wier.1@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wier
authors.affiliation: Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, 1602 N. Ironwood Dr., South Bend, IN, 46635, USA. ktang@nd.edu.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004519:Education, Special / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*; D066107:Social Skills
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Intervention; Robotics; Social skills; Treatment; Vocational