How to develop a digital game for screening for high functioning autism at kindergarten age: from evidence-based planning to the first results from evaluation

Background and objectives: Screening and diagnosis of autism are based on behavioural data; established screening tools rely on human expertise. The final aims of our project are creating and evaluating an affordable but... [ view full abstract ]

Background and objectives:
Screening and diagnosis of autism are based on behavioural data; established screening tools rely on human expertise. The final aims of our project are creating and evaluating an affordable but efficient digital game for screening for high functioning cases of ASD at kindergarten age. We present the methods of the evidence-based design process and the quantitative and qualitative results from the first phases of the evaluation of the first prototype.

Methodology: Game topic, candidate responses and game contents were identified via an iterative literature review. On this basis, a partial and then a full game prototype were created, using eye-tracking, automated emotion detection, and the recording of overt game responses, with complete data recording functionality but without the decision making component. A usability test was completed on the partial prototype (n=13), and the first sweep of evaluation has been started with the full prototype (n =20 reported here).

Results: Evaluation results indicate that the game is involving for children, it elicits screening-relevant responses, its completion is within children’s abilities, and the system is able to record data as planned. Occasional and partly autism-specific difficulties in using the game arose and quality of collected data has been uneven.

Conclusions: The evidence-based design process has proven to be productive. The prototype of the game is potentially applicable as an environment for screening. Identified limitations served with insights on the perspectives of further developing this and similar systems. Next steps include completing the first field test and creating the decision making component.

Keywords: early screening, evidence-based design, eye-tracking, social serious game, usability

This research project has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the 'Barczi Gusztav' Faculty of Special Education, ELTE University, Budapest, Hungary. There is no conflict of interests. Certain elements of the... [ view full abstract ]

This research project has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the 'Barczi Gusztav' Faculty of Special Education, ELTE University, Budapest, Hungary.
There is no conflict of interests.
Certain elements of the project have been funded by a grant within the EIT ICT Labs Hungarian Node (PI: András Lőrincz at Faculty of Informatics, ELTE University), and via a TÁMOP grant, co-financed by the European Union and the government of Hungary (TÁMOP 4.2.1./B-09/KMR-2010-0003).