Abstract

In Mexico, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased considerably, affecting 1 in 115 children. In order to support these children in the development of their social skills, one of the most recent technological options is virtual reality (VR). Since children with ASD often face difficulties in the social field, which limits their inclusion and adaptation, this technology offers a controlled and safe environment to practice social interactions. In this article, we present the results of a pilot study evaluating the effect of an immersive VR environment on the social sensitivity of children with ASD. In particular, the interaction with a virtual environment simulating a party was developed and evaluated to see how it modified social sensitivity. In this environment, there were typical party objects, such as balloons, cakes, and gift boxes. These elements were designed with special characteristics, considering the hypersensitivity of many children with ASD to everyday stimuli such as noise and colors. Finally, the results are presented, where a decrease in the average of the overall score of social sensitivity is observed, as well as a small increase in the dimensions of Social Awareness and Social Cognition. A significant decrease in the average score of the mannerisms dimension was also detected.