Article

VR for ASD: Therapeutic Environments for Individuals on the Autism Spectrum

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects individuals on a large spectrum; some of these individuals are considered high functioning while others while others experience significant impairments in that impact their ability to function in their daily lives. One such symptom is sensory overload due to hypersensitivity, which is often crippling for individuals across the autism spectrum. This study looked into the viability of using a virtual underground transit environment to help individuals grow accustomed to noises and lights and to help these individuals function even when they are hypersensitive to their surroundings. Seven adults, five diagnosed with high functioning autism and two diagnosed with more significant impairments, test the program. It was found that the heart rate of the individuals on the spectrum had decreased while experiencing the environment and they also face no virtual reality sickness. These findings suggest that virtual reality environments can be a therapeutic and effective training mechanism for improving cognition, adaptability, and functioning in autism.

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