Psychological variables related to technology-mediated intervention design in autism spectrum disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent impairments in communication, social interaction and learning (Hodges et al., 2020). Because of its heterogeneous nature, ASD presents complex challenges, including social exclusion, school abandonment and limited access to health care. Technologies offer a pragmatic solution to overcome these limitations and to deliver therapeutic interventions in both physical and online environments. Studies have demonstrated that technology-mediated interventions (TMIs) have a positive impact on the development of capabilities of individuals with ASD. However, according to the European Parliament’s Research Service technologies for ASDs are less mature (European Parliament. Directorate General for Parliamentary Research Services., 2018) and the causes and effects of TMIs in ASD should be better understood. Present study aimed to investigate the psychological variables related to TMIs in ASD. The study employed a survey research method with a between-subjects design involving 61 adult participants comprising therapists, teachers and parents of children with ASD and it examined psychological variables related to children with ASD, factors of technology usage, and parental and educators’ experiences. The analysis of the data obtained from the questionnaire focused on correlations and differences between groups, and was carried out using nonparametric tests. Kendall’s Tau B test was used to explore the relationships between variables. The Mann-Whitney nonparametric test was employed to identify differences between groups. The findings revealed numerous relationships between variables and meaningful differences between the groups investigated in terms of how technologies are perceived by stakeholders involved in ASD interventions. •Psychological variables have a significant impact on the effectiveness of technology-mediated interventions in autism.•Using psychological variables as benchmarks can improve the design of assistive technologies for people with autism.•The design of assistive technologies should consider gender differences and autism levels.•Involving parents as co-therapists and using technology in therapy have a positive impact on autism-related impairments.