A Systematic Review of Virtual Reality Interventions for Children with Social Skills Deficits

Children who lack social capacities and interactive abilities can be classified as having 'social skills deficits'. Children with these symptoms can also meet the criteria for multiple mental health diagnoses, e.g., social anxiety disorder (SAD), social phobia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), public speaking anxiety (PSA), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). With ever-growing research in regard to technology applied in clinical psychology, it is crucial to convert traditional therapeutic thinking to a more cross-sectional perspective - to use effective technology-based interventions in an inclusive manner for children with various mental illnesses. In view of this reflection, we present a systematic scoped review for children with social skills deficits, focusing on early interventions based on virtual reality (VR) technology and its feasibility and efficacy of social skills improvement. We specifically scope on efficacious VR intervention strategies which are presented for children with similar issues of social skills. The highlight of these research findings is that VR can be applied to psychological research and clinical usage within specific contexts. It is also a promising tool for children's social skills training.