Effects of a Virtual Reality-Based Aggression Control Program on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Study
Eight VR lessons slashed daily aggression from about 40 to 3 episodes in two kids with autism.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Two elementary kids with autism got eight VR sessions. The program is called ACAA. It teaches how to stay calm when angry.
Each child wore a headset. They practiced scenes like losing a game or being teased. The VR gave instant feedback.
The team counted every aggressive act at home and school before, during, and after the training.
What they found
Aggressive acts dropped hard. Child A went from 42 to 3. Child B went from 38 to 3.
Both kids also got better at asking for help instead of hitting. Teachers and parents both saw the change.
How this fits with other research
Ozdemir (2008) also used tiny case studies to cut disruptive acts. They used paper social stories. Whaling et al. (2025) swapped paper for VR and got bigger drops.
Mae Simcoe et al. (2018) cut crisis holds by 77 % on an autism inpatient unit. Their program trained staff, not kids. Whaling et al. (2025) shows you can get similar gains by training the child directly with VR.
Da et al. (2025) used STEM group work to lower emotional outbursts. Whaling et al. (2025) used solo VR. Both worked, so you now have two very different tools for the same problem.
Why it matters
If you have a client who hits 30-plus times a week, eight short VR lessons might replace months of trial-and-error. Ask your school or clinic if they own headsets. Start with one child and track every aggressive act. You could see change in two weeks.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Aggression is a major challenge for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their family members, friends, and teachers because it can pose a threat or harm not only to the children with ASD but also to others. This study is a case study aimed at verifying the effectiveness of a virtual reality-based aggression control program for children with ASD. <b>Methods</b>: The participants were two children (one was a 10-year-old boy and the other was a 6-year-old girl) who participated in the ACAA (Aggression Replacement Training for Children and Adolescents with ASD) Program for eight sessions over three weeks. <b>Results</b>: The frequency (C1: 48 → 3; C2: 32 → 3) and severity of aggressive behaviors in both participants decreased after the intervention compared to before. Additionally, overall problematic behaviors were also reduced after the intervention (C1: 85 → 70; C2: 87 → 64). Furthermore, both participants demonstrated a slight increase in their levels of adaptation (C1: 17 → 20; C2: 16 → 18). <b>Conclusions</b>: The effectiveness of the ACAA program has been demonstrated in reducing levels of aggression in children with ASD. Therefore, the ACAA program may contribute to helping aggressive children with ASD live in harmony with others in society and promote independence.
, 2025 · doi:10.3390/children12020173