Digital Commons @ SPU

Assessing effectiveness of Minecraft-based interventions to improve interpersonal skills of youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience bullying and social exclusion more than typically developing teens which can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. These consequences are related to significant impairments in social reciprocity, a core feature of ASD. Face-to-face social skills training (SST) like the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) for Adolescents (PEERS) has been found to increase social skills for youth with ASD. Can these SSTs be brought online? Minecraft, a versatile online platform and a shared language among teenagers across the globe has been used therapeutically to increase social skills (i.e. social reciprocity, social problem solving, and social collaboration) while minimizing the negative sense of self heightened in face to face experiences. Using the pre-post tests for social skills and scales of depression, anxiety, and loneliness, this study aims to examine the effectiveness of adapting this program in the Minecraft-based environment with 30 teenagers with high functioning ASD (ages 13-18).