Effects of Augmented Reality Cognitive–Motor Training on Social Skills, Attention, and Motor Coordination in Children with Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Augmented reality (AR) interventions offer an innovative approach to engage children with autism while fostering their motor and social skill development. By leveraging technology-driven methods, such as AR and game-based motor-cognitive training, these interventions aim to enhance skill acquisition and increase participant engagement.
Objective: This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of an AR game-based motor-cognitive training program on various aspects of functioning in children with autism, with a particular emphasis on social skills, attention, and motor coordination.
Methods: This study employed a semi-experimental design that included a practical application, utilizing a pre-test and post-test framework alongside a control group. Following a comprehensive screening process, 60 children with autism were selected as participants and randomly divided into intervention and control groups, ensuring equal representation. The intervention group engaged in AR game-based motor-cognitive training sessions twice a week for eight weeks. Standardized assessment tools were used to measure the research variables, and data analysis was conducted using MANCOVA.
Results: The findings indicated that the AR intervention significantly enhanced social skills (p<0.001, F=23.31), attention (p<0.001, F=18.47), and motor coordination (p<0.001, F=17.55) in children with autism.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that AR game-based cognitive-motor training serves as an effective intervention for improving social skills, attention, and motor coordination in children diagnosed with autism. This study is practically and clinically important as it offers an engaging, evidence-based intervention to enhance social skills, attention, and motor