A pilot study: a computer game-based assessment of visual perspective taking of four children with autism with high support needs

High support need and minimally verbal individuals with autism have received less attention in research in comparison to so-called higher functioning individuals with autism. As computers motivate individuals with autism, a game with a positive user experience was altered into a level 1 perspective-taking task in which advancement was contingent on eye contact. A case-controls design was used to see whether participants had impaired perspective taking and would they benefit from additional cues. Four high support need and minimally verbal children with autism played the game in their school environment. It was found that only one child with autism made more errors than controls using the eye cues. No child with autism benefitted from the additional cues, whereas the control group did. The results suggest that positive contexts may reveal more about individuals and their skills, and that individual level analysis can provide insights about autism and about the individuals with autism.