Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41014365›Full record

SynthesisEuropean child & adolescent psychiatry2026

Impact of extended reality interventions on core deficits and functional performance among individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Yang-Hsiu Sun, Sung-Hui Tseng, Wen-Hsuan Hou, Hung-Chou Chen, Che-Wei Lin, Yuan-Hung Wang

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European child & adolescent psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

6 authors.

Yang-Hsiu Sun *Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Sung-Hui Tseng *Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wen-Hsuan HouDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Hung-Chou ChenDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Che-Wei LinDepartment of Education and Humanities in Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. thomas0205@tmu.edu.tw.
Yuan-Hung WangGraduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. d508091002@tmu.edu.tw.

Funding

Taipei Medical University Hospital 113TMUH-P-13
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecently, extended reality technologies have been increasingly utilized in therapeutic and educational interventions for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of extended reality interventions in addressing core deficits and enhancing functional performance among individuals with ASD.

methodsA systematic literature search was conducted across six databases-namely, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CINHAL, and ERIC-from their inception to August 29, 2024, with no language restrictions. Studies were included if they (1) examined participants diagnosed with ASD; (2) employed an intervention utilizing virtual reality, augmented reality, or mixed reality; (3) used outcome measures related to social functioning, behavior, emotion, cognition, and anxiety; and (4) were published in a peer-review journal. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was employed as the primary effect size indicator, while heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. Additionally, the quality of the included studies was systematically analyzed.

resultsA meta-analysis of 11 randomized controlled and 20 non-randomized trials was conducted using a random-effects model. The extended reality intervention resulted in significant improvements in social skills (SMD: 0.59, p = 0.04), behavior (SMD: 0.61, p = 0.004), emotion recognition ability (SMD: 0.86, p = 0.0005), and cognitive ability (SMD: 0.92, p < 0.00001) among individuals with ASD.

conclusionThis study's findings substantiate the effectiveness of extended reality interventions for addressing core deficits and enhancing functional performance among individuals with ASD. Therefore, the utilization of extended reality in therapeutic and educational interventions for individuals with ASD is both feasible and promising.

Indexed as

Augmented RealityAutism Spectrum DisorderSocial SkillsVirtual RealityChildHumansAutism spectrum disorderCore deficitExtended realityFunctional performance

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.