Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40178785›Full record

Trial reportJournal of autism and developmental disorders2026

Effects of VR-Based Serious Games on Gross Motor Skills in Chinese Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Special Education: A Pilot Study.

Xinbo Wu, Junwen Liang, Yansha Dong, Qiuxian Ou, Jiaxi Chen, Linghui Zou, Weixin Dong, Chunxia Lu

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Article
  4. Physical activity interventions among children and adolescents in China: a scoping review through an equity lens.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2025
    Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Xinbo Wu *Department of Sport Education, Hunan Normal University, Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha city, Hunan Province, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-2493-0268
Junwen Liang *Department of Sport Education, Hunan Normal University, Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha city, Hunan Province, China.
Yansha DongChangsha Special Education School (Wangcheng Campus), Changsha city, Hunan Province, China.
Qiuxian OuChangsha Special Education School (Wangcheng Campus), Changsha city, Hunan Province, China.
Jiaxi ChenDepartment of Sport Education, Hunan Normal University, Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha city, Hunan Province, China.
Linghui ZouDepartment of Sport Education, Hunan Normal University, Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha city, Hunan Province, China.
Weixin DongDepartment of Sport Education, Hunan Normal University, Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha city, Hunan Province, China. dongweixin@hunnu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-4145-4270
Chunxia LuDepartment of Sport Education, Hunan Normal University, Lushan South Road, Yuelu District, Changsha city, Hunan Province, China. luchunxia@hunnu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Serious games are digital games designed for education or therapy. Virtual reality (VR)-based serious games have shown potential in enhancing motor learning, but their role in improving gross motor skills in children with ASD in special education remains underexplored. This randomized controlled trial examined the effectiveness of VR-based serious games in improving gross motor skills in children with ASD. Forty children (6-12 years) from Changsha Special Educational School were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) receiving VR-based serious game training, or a control group (n = 20) attending traditional physical education classes. The 12-week intervention was assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2). The experimental group used a multimedia VR system with nine motor rehabilitation games. After the intervention, both groups showed significant improvements in gross motor skills, but the experimental group showed greater gains in locomotor and object control skills, with significant time × group interaction effects. Despite improvements, average gross motor scores remained below the expected norms, highlighting persistent motor skill challenges. These findings support VR-based serious games as a valuable tool in special education, warranting further exploration for long-term interventions and broader adoption in school settings.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderEducation, SpecialMotor SkillsVideo GamesVirtual RealityChildChinaEast Asian PeopleFemaleHumansMalePilot ProjectsAutism spectrum disorderGross motor skillsSerious gameVirtue reality

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.