Published Paper Details:

AIM: The aim of the study is enhancing eye contact for children with autism spectrum disorder using puppets. METHOD: A quasi-experimental single-group pre-post study was conducted among 20 children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged 5-10 years attending Sumathy Occupational Therapy Centre, Cuddalore. Participants were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Baseline eye contact was assessed using the Eye Contact Avoidance Scale (ECAS). A puppet-based occupational therapy intervention focusing on improving eye contact and social interaction was provided for 20 minutes per session, three times per week for 12 weeks (36 sessions). Following the intervention, eye contact was reassessed using the ECAS, and pre- and post-intervention scores were statistically analysed to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. RESULT: The study was conducted to improve eye contact in children with autism spectrum disorder. The pre-test and post test scores have been calculated and performed paired 't' tests for the collected data. The bar graph represents the mean value of pre and post. Paired 't' test was used to compare the pre-test and post - test values of participants with eye contact avoidance according to the score in 'EYE CONTACT AVOIDANCE SCALE' This showed that there was a significant improvement in post score compared to pre score resulting in improvement in eye contact (P value<0.005). CONCLUSION: From this study, it is concluded that using puppets as a therapeutic tool, has significantly enhanced eye contact in children with autism spectrum disorder. This method combines the appeal of play with the therapeutic goals of improving social skills and communication skills, offering a creative and effective approach to supporting children in their developmental journey. KEY WORDS: AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, EYE CONTACT AVOIDANCE SCALE, PUPPETS, EYE CONTACT