Accessing quality apps to promote basic relational concepts acquisition among young children with autism. Issue 10 (20th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mykyta, Anne D.; Zhou, Zheng
• Other Names: Pérusse Rachelle guestEditor.; Bray Melissa guestEditor.; Rojas Eliana guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Psychology in the schools. Volume 54:Issue 10(2017)
• Page Start: 1302
• Page End: 1311
• Publication Date: 2017-11-20
• Subjects: apps -- autism -- basic relational concepts; Educational psychology -- Periodicals; Psychopédagogie -- Périodiques; 370.15
• DOI: 10.1002/pits.22082
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0033-3085

Abstract

Abstract: Mobile applications (apps) are increasingly being used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to supplement their intervention packages; however, the Apps' educational utility is not yet understood. The lack of such knowledge results in young children's inequity of accessing quality intervention. The present qualitative study addressed this gap by analyzing the content of popular apps being used with young children (ages 3–7) with ASD for the presence of basic relational concepts. After first identifying 15 target apps via surveys, the researchers analyzed the apps for the presence of the 50 basic relational concepts, according to the Boehm Test of Basic Relational Concepts—Third Edition). Results indicated that the prevalence of basic relational concepts in the analyzed apps ranged from 0 to 39 concepts. Apps that relied on community‐generated material tended to incorporate more basic relational concepts, but use methods that could be confusing or invalid. Commercially developed apps incorporated fewer basic relational concepts, but employed teaching and testing methods that have better educational utility. These findings have implications to help closing the gaps in informing parents, professionals, and app developers on the use of apps with children with ASD.