November 20, 2013

PARO the Robot: Enhancing Communication Through Play

This research and the resulting paper was the culmination of 5 years of work surrounding "Paro" the robot seal. We sought to answer the question "Does playing with a robot enhance social interaction among those on the autism spectrum?" Our findings indicate that the opportunity to play with the robot in mixed-group settings reduced stereotypical and sensory-seeking behaviors in favor of socially interactive and representational play. Additionally, a student with a marked fear of animals showed reduced fear behavior over the course of the 10 week study.

This research was presented at the Autism Society of America's annual conference in Indianapolis, IN, and most notably, at IMFAR 2013, in Donostia, Spain.

November 03, 2013

Outcomes Study: What are the Lasting Effects of Daily Life Therapy?

In this ongoing research study, we seek to measure the impact of DLT® on exercise, nutrition, sleep, emotional self-regulation, and social relationships, among others. 

Phase 1: Surveys sent to alumni, designed to measure the extent to which former students continue to benefit from activities related to their health and “rhythm of life,” consistent with DLT®.

Phase 2: Includes follow-up interviews and site observations in order to validate results and develop action recommendations. 

Stay tuned for our findings!