Variations Between Perceptions of Interpersonal Distance in Virtual Environments for Autism

Interpersonal distance is defined as the area which we choose to keep between ourselves and others, revealed through observation and cultural components. Although previous studies have suggested the possibility of alterations in perception of interpersonal distance in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, it remains unknown whether these differences exist in relation to characters in a virtual environment. As many social-skills interventions for autism rely upon virtual characters to teach social behaviors, this research is key in understanding how to configure the interpersonal distance of virtual characters to an adequate level to effectively foster computerized social-skills training. We have carried out controlled trials with children with autism to identify variations in preferences from the typically developed population with both a human partner and a virtual character. The contributions of this research are twofold: first, to support existing literature in identifying differences in personal space preferences between children with autism and typically developing children; and second, to understand whether these differences carry over into the context of virtual environments.