{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,8]],"date-time":"2026-03-08T04:51:47Z","timestamp":1772945507735,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":66,"publisher":"Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)","issue":"2","content-domain":{"domain":["dl.acm.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J. Hum.-Robot Interact."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and interaction, highlighting the importance of early and supportive engagement. Robot-Assisted Autism Therapy (RAAT) has emerged as a promising approach that utilizes repetitive, interactive sessions to facilitate engagement and learning experiences. This systematic review, conducted following PRISMA guidelines, evaluates advancements in RAAT from 2013 to 2023, addressing three key questions: the benefits and limitations, the metrics used to assess success, and the technological advancements aimed at overcoming challenges. After screening 2,396 papers from IEEE Xplore and ACM Digital Library, 46 studies were included. These studies met the following inclusion criteria: English-language, peer-reviewed journal articles and conference proceedings focusing on RAAT advancements for children, specifically addressing human\u2013robot interaction (HRI) and user experience (UX). The studies were categorized by demographics, methods, robot types, targeted behaviors, HRI modes, UX, and ethical considerations. Our findings highlight a preference for humanoid robots, particularly in sessions supporting imitation and joint attention development. The review also emphasizes the need for user-friendly therapist interfaces and addresses challenges related to robot autonomy. Future research should focus on integrating artificial intelligence and developing comprehensive datasets to fill current gaps in RAAT systems. Overall, this review identifies emerging trends, limitations, and provides guidance for advancing robot-assisted support for autistic children through accessible, engaging, and ethical interaction design.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1145\/3776539","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,11]],"date-time":"2025-12-11T07:06:46Z","timestamp":1765436806000},"page":"1-29","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Utilizing Human\u2013Robot Interaction in Autism Therapy to Enhance Children\u2019s Social Skills: Literature Review"],"prefix":"10.1145","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3303-2522","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Norah","family":"Alkhaldi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Computer Engineering Department, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8074-5456","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maha","family":"Faisal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Computer Engineering Department, Kuwait University, Kuwait, Kuwait"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5707-2692","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"A. M.","family":"Mutawa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Computer Engineering Department, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait and Computer Science Department, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany"}]}],"member":"320","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_1_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3462203.3475928"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/s22030944"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_4_2","unstructured":"Aldebaran. NAO v.6 Daily Use. Retrieved September 18 2024 from https:\/\/www.aldebaran.com\/en\/support\/nao-6\/2-daily-use#article"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2020.2965204"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2019.2923678"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_7_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2020.3001365"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_8_2","first-page":"cer-01","volume-title":"Cerebrum\u202f: The Dana Forum on Brain Science","author":"Amaral David G.","year":"2017","unstructured":"David G. Amaral. 2017. Examining the causes of autism. Cerebrum\u202f: The Dana Forum on Brain Science 2017 (2017), cer-01."},{"key":"e_1_3_1_9_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"American Psychiatric Association. 2013. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.). Retrieved from https:\/\/doi\/book\/10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425787","DOI":"10.1176\/appi.books.9780890425596"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_10_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2018.8525825"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_11_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/RO-MAN46459.2019.8956309"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_12_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2021.3132785"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_13_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2696454.2696480"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_14_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TNSRE.2012.2230188"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_15_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICARCV.2016.7838636"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_16_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/HRI.2016.7451729"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_17_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICVR.2013.6662088"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_18_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2018.8525747"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_19_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2014.6926354"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_20_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s41252-020-00184-5"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_21_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3486812.3486840"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_22_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/HRI53351.2022.9889593"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_23_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3459990.3460715"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_24_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICORR.2017.8009378"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_25_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2014.6926280"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_26_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-016-0384-4"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_27_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2013.6628416"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_28_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3359613"},{"issue":"1","key":"e_1_3_1_29_2","first-page":"45","article-title":"A validation study of the CARS-2 compared with the ADOS-2 in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: A suggestion for cutoff scores","volume":"34","author":"Ji Seong-In","year":"2023","unstructured":"Seong-In Ji, Hyungseo Park, Sun Ah Yoon, and Soon-Beom Hong. 2023. A validation study of the CARS-2 compared with the ADOS-2 in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder: A suggestion for cutoff scores. Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 34, 1 (2023), 45.","journal-title":"Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_30_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TAPENERGY.2017.8397220"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_31_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2018.8525598"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_32_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ACII.2015.7344544"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_33_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/IHMSC.2016.103"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_34_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3389189.3393738"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_35_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(18)31129-2"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_36_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.23919\/SoftCOM50211.2020.9238273"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_37_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/EDUCON52537.2022.9766762"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_38_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2016.7745219"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_39_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICIP48927.2020.9367368"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_40_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.spen.2020.100831"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_41_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2021.3056211"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_42_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.23919\/SoftCOM55329.2022.9911443"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_43_2","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews","volume":"372","author":"Page Matthew J.","year":"2021","unstructured":"Matthew J. Page, Joanne E. McKenzie, Patrick M. Bossuyt, Isabelle Boutron, Tammy C. Hoffmann, Cynthia D. Mulrow, Larissa Shamseer, Jennifer M. Tetzlaff, Elie A. Akl, Sue E. Brennan, et al. 2021. The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 372 (2021).","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_44_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/RO-MAN46459.2019.8956468"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_45_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2017.8172498"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_46_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3351556.3351592"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_47_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1049\/htl2.12013"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_48_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MTS.2018.2795096"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_49_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.23919\/ICMU50196.2021.9638874"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_50_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.21533\/pen.v8.i3.1162"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_51_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2021.04.009"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_52_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/HRI53351.2022.9889537"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_53_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/1034912X.2021.1905153"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_54_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TNSRE.2021.3091320"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_55_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-bioeng-071811-150036"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_56_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3468849"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_57_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900704"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_58_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICRoM.2017.8466148"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_59_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2015.7333578"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_60_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/RO-MAN53752.2022.9900584"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_61_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/IEIR56323.2022.10050050"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_62_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2017.8172434"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_63_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ROMAN.2016.7745194"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_64_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aur.2696"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_65_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/3568162.3576963"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_66_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICIDDT52279.2020.00041"},{"key":"e_1_3_1_67_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/ICORR.2013.6650408"}],"container-title":["ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/pdf\/10.1145\/3776539","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]],"date-time":"2026-03-07T14:11:21Z","timestamp":1772892681000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/3776539"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,20]]},"references-count":66,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,31]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1145\/3776539"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1145\/3776539","relation":{},"ISSN":["2573-9522"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2573-9522","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,20]]},"assertion":[{"value":"2023-12-18","order":0,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2025-10-13","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}},{"value":"2026-02-20","order":3,"name":"published","label":"Published","group":{"name":"publication_history","label":"Publication History"}}]}}