| Sumario: | Purpose: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to avoid social communication, which can lead to impaired social functioning. Thus, we developed a social communication training system using a computer graphics (CG) avatar in a simulated city street environment (SCR). We aimed to examine whether SCR effectively reduced anxiety and enhanced self-confidence and motivation to communicate in a real-world setting.Twenty-three participants with ASD were randomly assigned to either the SCR group (<italic>n</italic> = 14), which received SCR training plus classroom-based communication guidance (CGT), or the control group (<italic>n</italic> = 9), which received only CGT. Both groups underwent a 5-day intervention. Before the intervention, immediately after, and 1-month post-intervention, all participants engaged in a real-life interpersonal communication task to assess the generalization of training effects. Anxiety, self-confidence, and motivation to communicate with unfamiliar people were measured using self-report and observer-rated questionnaires (assessed by two trained research assistants).Compared with the control group, the SCR group showed a greater reduction in anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = 0.041) and a significant increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.006) and motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.011) in the self-report questionnaire. In the observer-rated questionnaire, the SCR group demonstrated a greater anxiety reduction (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002), an increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.012), and a near-significant improvement in motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.095).These findings support the effectiveness of SCR in promoting generalization in real-life communication situations. Future studies with larger sample sizes and diverse settings are required to validate these findings.Methods: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to avoid social communication, which can lead to impaired social functioning. Thus, we developed a social communication training system using a computer graphics (CG) avatar in a simulated city street environment (SCR). We aimed to examine whether SCR effectively reduced anxiety and enhanced self-confidence and motivation to communicate in a real-world setting.Twenty-three participants with ASD were randomly assigned to either the SCR group (<italic>n</italic> = 14), which received SCR training plus classroom-based communication guidance (CGT), or the control group (<italic>n</italic> = 9), which received only CGT. Both groups underwent a 5-day intervention. Before the intervention, immediately after, and 1-month post-intervention, all participants engaged in a real-life interpersonal communication task to assess the generalization of training effects. Anxiety, self-confidence, and motivation to communicate with unfamiliar people were measured using self-report and observer-rated questionnaires (assessed by two trained research assistants).Compared with the control group, the SCR group showed a greater reduction in anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = 0.041) and a significant increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.006) and motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.011) in the self-report questionnaire. In the observer-rated questionnaire, the SCR group demonstrated a greater anxiety reduction (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002), an increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.012), and a near-significant improvement in motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.095).These findings support the effectiveness of SCR in promoting generalization in real-life communication situations. Future studies with larger sample sizes and diverse settings are required to validate these findings.Results: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to avoid social communication, which can lead to impaired social functioning. Thus, we developed a social communication training system using a computer graphics (CG) avatar in a simulated city street environment (SCR). We aimed to examine whether SCR effectively reduced anxiety and enhanced self-confidence and motivation to communicate in a real-world setting.Twenty-three participants with ASD were randomly assigned to either the SCR group (<italic>n</italic> = 14), which received SCR training plus classroom-based communication guidance (CGT), or the control group (<italic>n</italic> = 9), which received only CGT. Both groups underwent a 5-day intervention. Before the intervention, immediately after, and 1-month post-intervention, all participants engaged in a real-life interpersonal communication task to assess the generalization of training effects. Anxiety, self-confidence, and motivation to communicate with unfamiliar people were measured using self-report and observer-rated questionnaires (assessed by two trained research assistants).Compared with the control group, the SCR group showed a greater reduction in anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = 0.041) and a significant increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.006) and motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.011) in the self-report questionnaire. In the observer-rated questionnaire, the SCR group demonstrated a greater anxiety reduction (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002), an increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.012), and a near-significant improvement in motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.095).These findings support the effectiveness of SCR in promoting generalization in real-life communication situations. Future studies with larger sample sizes and diverse settings are required to validate these findings.Conclusion: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tend to avoid social communication, which can lead to impaired social functioning. Thus, we developed a social communication training system using a computer graphics (CG) avatar in a simulated city street environment (SCR). We aimed to examine whether SCR effectively reduced anxiety and enhanced self-confidence and motivation to communicate in a real-world setting.Twenty-three participants with ASD were randomly assigned to either the SCR group (<italic>n</italic> = 14), which received SCR training plus classroom-based communication guidance (CGT), or the control group (<italic>n</italic> = 9), which received only CGT. Both groups underwent a 5-day intervention. Before the intervention, immediately after, and 1-month post-intervention, all participants engaged in a real-life interpersonal communication task to assess the generalization of training effects. Anxiety, self-confidence, and motivation to communicate with unfamiliar people were measured using self-report and observer-rated questionnaires (assessed by two trained research assistants).Compared with the control group, the SCR group showed a greater reduction in anxiety (<italic>p</italic> = 0.041) and a significant increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.006) and motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.011) in the self-report questionnaire. In the observer-rated questionnaire, the SCR group demonstrated a greater anxiety reduction (<italic>p</italic> = 0.002), an increase in self-confidence (<italic>p</italic> = 0.012), and a near-significant improvement in motivation to communicate (<italic>p</italic> = 0.095).These findings support the effectiveness of SCR in promoting generalization in real-life communication situations. Future studies with larger sample sizes and diverse settings are required to validate these findings.
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