Enhancing the Engagement of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder through Group-Based Interventions Utilizing the Social Robot NAO: A Synthetic Conceptual Analysis

The rapid development of Generative Artificial Intelligence (G-AI) and specifically Social Assistive Robotics (SARs) introduces innovative approaches in the field of education and especially in special education. This study is a synthetic conceptual analysis and examines key concepts around enhancing the engagement of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in activities, focusing on group interventions utilizing the NAO robot by the teacher in the context of the classroom. The aim of this analysis is to clarify the definition and dimensions of engagement of children with ASD and to analyze the advantages of group interventions using the NAO as a teacher’s assistant. The results obtained highlight the associations between the characteristics of the NAO, the dimensions of engagement of children with ASD and the group intervention context. In addition, practical and theoretical implications are discussed, suggesting directions for future research in social robotics and its utilization in special education.