Increasing target behavior of children with developmental disorders by designing innovative multistage tablet games

Individuals diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) often exhibit multiple challenging behaviors such as stereotyping, non-compliance, self-injuries, and aggression. The lack of a target behavior across schools, homes, and clinical settings not only impedes an individual learning on academic and self-help skills, but also disrupts their integration into school and society. To maintain the target behavior, the study successfully evaluated various reinforcement strategies. On the basis of a preliminary study conducted with a small group of children diagnosed with developmental disorders at an Autism intervention clinic in India concluded that video games can be used to strongly reinforce the expected behavior and reduce problematic behavior, successfully. Consequently, a survey carried out with various experts within India and abroad confirm that videogames designed on a tablet format are successfully used as strong reinforces during behavioral interventions. In view of these aspects, the present study proposes a multi-stage videogame design that is built with a user interface and smart algorithm allowing access and progression in the game based on a childs behavior data. The design establishes a contingency between reinforcer (videogame) and childs behavior thereby improving the acceptable target behavior.