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ShopAutiPlan: Validating a Serious Game for Assessing Executive Planning in Autism
Athmar N M Shamhan1, Marrianna Constantinou1, Howraa Hajaig2
1A-Sense Center of Excellence, College of Computer Science and Engineering, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar.
Summary
A new serious game, ShopAutiPlan, effectively assesses planning skills in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by simulating real-world tasks. This tool offers better ecological validity than traditional tests for executive functions in children with ASD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with executive functions, impacting planning and goal-directed behaviors.
- Traditional assessments for executive functions (EF) lack ecological validity, failing to represent real-world planning challenges.
- There is a need for ecologically grounded tools to assess planning in children with ASD.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce and validate ShopAutiPlan, a novel supermarket-based serious game for assessing planning skills in children.
- Evaluate the ecological validity and engagement of ShopAutiPlan compared to traditional EF assessments.
- Examine the utility of ShopAutiPlan in differentiating planning abilities between children with and without ASD.
Main Methods:
- Developed ShopAutiPlan, a serious game simulating multistep planning tasks in a supermarket environment.
- Recruited 57 children (7-10 years; 27 ASD, 30 neurotypical), matched for age and IQ.
- Administered ShopAutiPlan alongside conventional EF tests (BRIEF-2, BADS-C subtests) and analyzed behavioral data.
Main Results:
- Children with ASD showed reduced in-game efficiency (longer times, greater distance, more pauses) compared to neurotypical peers, despite similar task completion.
- ShopAutiPlan demonstrated convergent validity, with game-derived metrics correlating significantly with traditional planning tests.
- Neurotypical children outperformed those with ASD on all standardized EF measures.
Conclusions:
- ShopAutiPlan is a valid, engaging, and ecologically grounded tool for assessing executive planning in children with ASD.
- The game complements traditional neuropsychological assessments by providing naturalistic planning data.
- ShopAutiPlan offers a promising avenue for understanding and supporting executive function challenges in children with ASD.
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