Virtual Environments for Assessment of Social Exclusion in Autism: a Systematic Review

This review aims to identify and systematically evaluate the use of virtual assessments of social exclusion in persons with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The authors screened articles for inclusion in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Ten peer-reviewed studies were reviewed to understand the current status of empirically based evidence of social exclusion in persons with ASD. Most studies used self-report questionnaires to assess affect, mood, and distress following simulated social interactions using the Cyberball game. Five studies used neuroimaging to identify neural correlates of social exclusion. Results reveal differences between persons with ASD and typically developing participants. Some discrepancy was noted between self-reports and the brain responses from persons with ASD.