Application of virtual reality in people with ASD from 1996 to 2019

Abstract

Purpose – Diversity is one of the main characteristics of modern societies. To be teachers and trainers, it is necessary to use all the tools to respond to students with diversified needs. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to review the scientific production in Web of Science (WOS) and SCOPUS of 1996-2019 on the application of Virtual reality in people with Autism SpectrumDisoders (ASD) for the improvement of social skills. Design/methodology/approach – For this purpose, two databases have been used: The Web of Science (WOS) and SCOPUS from the advanced search tab. After applying the search terms, 267 documents were obtained which were analysed according to a series of indicators. Findings – The results indicate that the period 2016-2019 was the most productive and that SCOPUS has a focus on conferences and WOS is intended for journals. Furthermore, in SCOPUS, there are journals with higher quartiles (Q1) than in WOS. The study shows the great importance of virtual reality in people with ASD and its recent dissemination. Originality/value – Currently, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no studies on the use of virtual reality in people with ASD using bibliometric indicators. The study allows us to know which databases publish higher quality research. Likewise, information can be obtained about the most productive centres and the most important authors on the subject.