Association for Behavior Analysis International

Many autistic individuals may desire support and services primarily in the areas of adaptive functioning and social well-being throughout their lifetime. There is a need for community-informed and person-centered social programs targeted for autistic adolescents and adults. New technology, such as virtual reality (VR), is being researched to assess the feasibility of providing therapeutic services to autistic individuals. In this two part study, both qualitative and quantitative methods were utilized to: (1) better understand and explore the perceptions of parents and autistic adolescents regarding social development and thoughts around social skills interventions delivered through technologies such as VR; and (2) investigate the more effective telehealth platform for delivering social skills intervention. The results of the qualitative study provide guidance to the research community on investigating different innovative approaches for offering a social program that is supported by autistic individuals. The preliminary results of the quantitative study provide evidence that VR may be more effective at addressing certain social skills for autistic adolescents. The results of both studies are discussed for future implications regarding social programs for the autism community.