Iris J. Oosterling
Papers
4
Total Citations
176
H-Index
4
About
Iris J. Oosterling is a leading researcher at the intersection of developmental robotics and autism intervention. Her work centers on designing, implementing, and rigorously evaluating robot-assisted Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Oosterling’s major contribution is the development and validation of a structured, game-based therapy protocol that integrates socially assistive robots to enhance motivation and social communication in young children. Her landmark 2020 study on protocol adherence and acceptability (65 citations) demonstrated that robot-assisted PRT is both feasible and well-received by children and parents. In a subsequent randomized controlled trial (46 citations), she provided early evidence that robot assistance can augment the effects of PRT on social-communicative skills. Oosterling also investigated the critical role of child self-initiations (44 citations), showing that robot-assisted sessions can foster these pivotal behaviors. By combining iterative, participatory design with robust experimental methods, she has established a replicable framework for technology-enhanced autism therapy. Her work is widely cited by researchers in human-robot interaction, clinical psychology, and special education, and it continues to shape the future of accessible, engaging interventions for neurodiverse children.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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