Preliminary results of a therapeutic lab for promoting autonomies in autistic children

This extended abstract describes the preliminary quantitative and qualitative results coming from a therapeutic laboratory focused on the use of the Pepper robot to promote autonomies and functional acquisitions in highly functioning (Asperger) children with autism. The participants recruited were four highly functioning (Asperger) children, aged between 11 and 13 years. There have been in total 16 lab sessions, all recorded by a fixed camera, in addition to the Pepper's 2D cameras. Furthermore, trainees filled out evaluation forms provided by psychotherapists, noting the children autonomy's progress in a diary with the helping of rating scales [1]. These notes were then reworked to draw up shared reports, reflecting on the behavior's evolution and progress of the children meeting by meeting.