Interactive Games as Tools for Improving Social Interaction Skills in Children with Autism in Saudi Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to find out the effectiveness of using interactive games to enhance children’s social interaction skills within two weeks of the intervention. The study in general was conducted using a quantitative style, whereby the subjects involved were 60 Saudi students diagnosed with autism, in the experiment group and the control group. The subjects involved in the experimental group were made to play games that would help in improving their social interaction skills, whereas the control group was made to play normal group games. Observations of the teachers were used to gather data, and comparison tests of dependent variables, independent variables and analysis of covariance were utilized in the determination of the changes in social interaction skills. It was shown that the experimental condition led to improvements in the subjects’ social skills compared to the control one. Lastly, the study proves that there is possibility and easiness when conveying social skills by using interactive games for children with autism, proposing the usages of such tool in early intervention and educational context. More future studies need to be conducted on the durability and maintenance of such improvements as well as ascertain the effectiveness of future designs of the interactive games.