The Study on Virtual Reality Test to evaluate emotion recognition ability of Autism Spectrum Disorder and application to education

本研究的目的是开发针对自闭症谱系障碍(ASD)的虚拟现实测试(VRT)，该测试可以在更接近现实生活的环境中，基于对情绪的判断来测量社会认知功能。34名ASD受试者参与了这项研究。对照组70例为典型发育(TD)儿童。为了评估VRT的内部信度，在正常组中计算VRT的内部一致性。VRT的Cronbach‘sα系数为0.70，说明任务内容具有较高的内部一致性。为了评估结构效度，我们比较了TD和ASD的VRT平均分。TD组与ASD组比较差异有统计学意义。计算各年龄段(8~9岁、10~11岁、12~13岁、14~15岁、16~18岁)VRT总分。8~9岁组VRT总分均值显著低于14~15岁组和16~18岁组。自闭症被试完成了心理测验(一阶错误信念任务和二阶错误信念任务)。在一阶任务中表现良好但在二阶任务中不及格的受试者组成了“一阶心理理论”组，而在一阶和二阶任务中表现一致的受试者则组成了“二阶心理理论”组。其他在一次和二次任务中都不及格的受试者组成了一组没有心理理论的受试者。计算三组患者的平均VRT总分。“无心理理论”组的VRT总分显著低于“一阶心理理论”组和“二阶心理理论”组，说明VRT具有较好的内部信度和结构效度。

The aim of this study is to develop virtual reality test (VRT) for Autism Spectrum Disorder （ASD） that can measure social cognitive functioning based on judgements of emotion in a setting more akin to “real life”. 34 ASD subjects took part in this study . For the comparison group, 70Typically developing (TD) children. In order to assess internal reliability , VRT’s internal consistency was calculated in normal Group . Cronbach’s alphas coefficient for the VRT was 0.70, showing that the content of the task has high internal consistency. In order to assess construct validity, VRT average Score in TD and ASD were compared. There were significant differences between TD and ASD. The mean VRT total scores per age level(8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-18 age group) were calculated. The mean VRT total scores for the group aged 8-9 was significant lower than that of the group aged 14-15 and the group aged 16-18. ASD subjects performed the theory of mind battery (first-order false belief task and second-order false belief task). Subjects who performed well at first-order tasks but failed second-order tasks made up a “first-order theory of mind” group, and subjects who performed consistently well at both first- and second-order tasks made up a “second-order theory of mind” group. Other subjects, who failed at both first- and second-order tasks made up a “no-theory of mind” group. The mean VRT total scores among three groups were calculated. The mean VRT total scores for “no-theory of mind” group was significant lower than that of “first-order theory of mind” group and “second-order theory of mind” group.The present study suggests that VRT have satisfactory internal reliability and construct validity.