Enhancing social collaboration in autistic pre-teens through Minecraft™.

PURPOSE This pilot research explored the use of Minecraft™ as an accessible game-based program for facilitating social skills development and collaboration in 10-12-year-old pre-adolescent autistic children.

METHOD Underpinned by inclusive research principles, the study was co-designed with consumers with lived experience and used a mixed-method design to explore intervention effects across different intensities (high vs. low) and modalities (in-person vs. online).

RESULT A total of 11 children participated, divided into four groups of 2-3 players each. The findings showed that both low- and high-intensity groups showed non-significant social skills improvements, with highest perceived gains in low-intensity online and high-intensity in-person groups. Parent and child reports of social competence with peers were mixed. Online friendships were limited across groups, with none reported amongst the in-person group participants. Qualitative analysis highlighted three interconnected dimensions of engagement, including relational, structural, and contextual; shaping experiences of collaboration, social competence, and accessibility.

CONCLUSION Despite limitations that warrant cautious interpretation, the study demonstrates the value of co-design with families and people with lived experience; which should remain central to future research.