Working with the Asociación Asperger Madrid
Discover how Asociación Asperger Madrid empowers individuals with Asperger's to enhance their social skills through VR.
Highlights
Skills
Job interview practice and presentation skills
10%
improvement in social skills and anxiety management
20%
increase in satisfaction and comfort levels
18
sessions guided by a psychologist
Customer Introduction
Asociación Asperger Madrid is a nonprofit organization that was granted public utility status in 2011 by both the Community of Madrid and the Madrid City Council. Its mission is to advance the well-being of individuals with Asperger Syndrome, including members and children of members.
This is achieved through a range of welfare, educational, recreational, cultural, and sports activities.
The Goal
Individuals with Asperger's Syndrome often face challenges in social competence—experiencing high interaction anxiety, reduced proactivity in social engagement, and difficulties in both verbal and nonverbal communication. To address these issues, this initiative explores the potential of Virtual Reality (VR) as a controlled environment for social skills training. The project aims to leverage immersive VR technology to create a safe space where individuals can practice social interactions, ultimately reducing communication anxiety by 5% and increasing the duration of eye contact by 10%.
Research Assistant
Héctor Redondo
"In my opinion, the utilization of VirtualSpeech VR has immense potential as a valuable tool for intervention with individuals diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome or ASD. While it should not replace clinical sessions entirely, it serves as a powerful resource for fostering the development of communication and social interaction skills."
The Solution
The project leverages VirtualSpeech VR software to simulate authentic social situations, providing a controlled environment where individuals with Asperger Syndrome can reduce communication anxiety. This immersive approach enables users to practice interpreting social cues, maintaining eye contact, modulating verbal intonation, and refining facial expressions—key skills for enhancing overall social competence.
Results and Benefits
The initial pilot project commenced in February 2023 and concluded in December 2023. Participants showed a remarkable 10% improvement in their social skills when interacting with strangers, as well as in managing anxiety and panic attacks. The program, focused on improving employability, also resulted in a 20% increase in the feeling of satisfaction and comfort among the individuals who completed it.
The study targeted five participants, aged 20-30 years, who have been diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome or ASD grade 1.
A participant said: "I thought it was a fantastic experience. I felt like I was leaving an environment that seemed more or less familiar to me and then entering and being placed in another one never seen before within moments of each other."
