Effectiveness of Mobile Technologies in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract— The advancement in the development of mobile technologies has revolutionized the mental health sector, offering new therapeutic tools for patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The application of these mobile technologies is the primary focus of this systematic literature review (SLR), which aims to study their effectiveness in addressing the different needs of patients. A search was conducted using the PICO technique in the SCOPUS database, yielding 213 articles. Subsequently, the PRISMA technique was applied for screening and selection, resulting in the inclusion of 23 articles for analysis. The findings highlight that 60.87% of the studies focus on improving communicative and interactive skills, 39.13% of the developed technologies are based on augmented reality, and 30.30% are oriented towards assistive technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI), present in 21.74% of the studies, shows potential for personalizing and adjusting therapies. Despite these advances, limitations were also identified, such as the dependence on external resources, lack of user adaptation, and economic barriers that hinder access to these technologies. The need to design inclusive, sustainable, and adaptable solutions is recommended, combining innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) with the growing trend of augmented reality technologies, to personalize treatments and enhance their effectiveness. In summary, this work contributes to the academic field by identifying current trends in mobile technologies for the treatment of ASD, guiding future research towards more accessible, personalized, and innovative solutions, and promoting the integration of AI and machine learning with the growing development of augmented reality for greater efficacy and adaptability.