Adaptive Educational Technologies for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analysis of Emotional and Social...

Adaptive educational technologies are increasingly used to support emotional engagement in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet their overall effectiveness remains uncertain. This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the impact of adaptive technologies on emotional engagement outcomes and to examine methodological and study-level moderators.

Fourteen independent samples from 14 studies published between 2011 and 2024 were included, comprising 524 participants aged 4-17 years (M_age = 10.6, SD = 2.9; 21.7% female).

Random-effects models with restricted maximum-likelihood (REML) estimation were used to calculate pooled effect sizes. The overall pooled effect size was Hedges' g = 0.47 (95% CI 0.36-0.58), reflecting a moderate positive effect of adaptive technologies on emotional engagement. Significant heterogeneity was observed (I² = 69.22%), and moderator analyses indicated that intervention type (e.g., VR/AR vs. gamified or tablet-based platforms) significantly influenced outcomes (p = .049). Effect sizes were highest for VR/AR-based tools (g = 0.53). No significant differences emerged by age, geographical region, or study design. Studies with high risk of bias reported larger effect sizes than low-risk studies.

Overall, findings support the potential of adaptive technologies to improve emotional engagement in students with ASD. Methodological consistency and the use of validated outcome measures are recommended to enhance future evidence synthesis.