Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Improve Social Communication in Autistic Individuals
Stanford University
Summary
The purpose of this study is to identify whether researched and commonly used face-to-face interventions can be effectively implemented through artificial intelligence (AI) using an application on the phone or computer. The investigators plan to recruit individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who demonstrate challenges with social communication. Modules focusing on various difficulties experienced by autistic individuals will provide practice and feedback using voice recognition and feedback. If effective, this intervention can be scaled up to provide cost-effective accessible assistance to individuals, particularly those who do not have access to care or prefer to secure services in the comfort of their own homes.
Description
Intervention has been proven effective to improve interpersonal and communication skills for people with low social awareness or certain neurological conditions such as autism spectrum disorder. However, the application of this type of trainings is limited due to the lack of trained clinicians, the difficulties in finding/creating social settings, and the cost of ongoing treatments, among other factors. In this study, the investigators hope to elucidate whether autistic individuals will benefit from the translation of face-to-face interventions delivered by AI application (app) that can be eas…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 3–35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Primary diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) * Age of adolescents and adults: between 11-35 years * Age of minimally verbal children: between 3-5 years * Ability to engage in social conversation using full sentences for a 20-minute period (adolescents and adults) * Verbal communication difficulties in an individual targeted area (e.g., empathy) as measured on the communication sample Participants with a co-occuring diagnosis of ADHD, depression, or social anxiety will not be excluded since these are very common in this population and are often related to or a bi-…
Interventions
- DeviceAI Modules for Improving Social Communication
The modules will be accessed via a web app. These modules have been developed to provide feedback on specific areas following voice or text input (user preference will be recorded in case this effects the results). The investigators currently have developed AI modules for common social communication challenges exhibited by individuals with ASD. Examples include: Learning First Words, Empathy (general and in the work setting), Asking Relevant Questions, Listen and Respond, Talking the Right Amount, Giving the Right Amount of Personal Information, Tactful Responses, Giving Compliments, and Staying On Topic During Conversation. These are all areas that can be challenging for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. AI modules consist of thousands of total training examples. Participants may access the modules on their phones, tablets, or computers.
Location
- Stanford University School of MedicineStanford, California