Published April 20, 2026
| Version 1
Journal
Open
AI-Augmented Social Skills Training for Urban Indian Adolescents with Autism : Challenges and Innovations
Contributors
- 1. Developmental Behavioural Paediatrician-Adolescent CWSN Consultant at Hamsa Kids Child Development Centre, Kauvery Hospital, Kovilambakkam, Chennai 2. Dr. Lal D. V. Nair Head of Department & Program Coordinator, IAP Fellowship in Developmental & Behavioural Paediatrics Saveetha CDC, Saveetha Medical College
Description
recognition software, virtual reality (VR) simulations, and AIgenerated
social narratives.
Methods: This narrative review critically examines AI-augmented SST
interventions relevant to urban Indian adolescents with ASD, focusing on cultural
adaptation, barriers to implementation, and future directions. A comprehensive
literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and
Cochrane Library databases, filtering for Indian studies published between 2013
and 2025. Selected high-quality peer-reviewed articles were critically appraised
and synthesized thematically.
Results: Key findings highlight AI’s potential to complement traditional SST
approaches while emphasizing challenges such as cultural diversity, digital access
disparities, therapist training gaps, and data privacy concerns.
Conclusion: This review proposes a framework for integrating AI into ASD social
interventions in urban India, advocating multisectoral collaboration to overcome
barriers and optimize outcomes. Realizing these benefits requires culturally
tailored tools, robust infrastructure, and stringent attention to privacy and ethics
along with professional therapists and family involvement, with AI functioning as
a supportive adjunct.
Files
ARTICLE-3.pdf
Files
(160.1 kB)
| Name | Size | Download all |
|---|---|---|
|
md5:c74a86e7df02bca46fb9a3032d5d4818
|
160.1 kB | Preview Download |
Additional details
Dates
- Accepted
-
2025-12-10
References
- 1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013. 2. Rao K, Srinivasan S. Social communication challenges during adolescence in ASD. J Indian Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020;16(2):78–84. 3. Singh S, Bhatia MS. Barriers to autism diagnosis and intervention in urban India. Indian J Psychol Med. 2019;41(1):30–34. 4. Jain S, et al. Therapist training in AI-based SST for ASD in India: a qualitative study. Indian J Psychol Med. 2022;44(4):314– 320. 5. Bhatia R, Singh M. Use of social stories for Indian children with ASD. Indian J Psychiatry. 2019;61(2):156–160. 6. Kapoor S, et al. Cultural adaptation of social narratives for ASD in India. Indian J Devl Disabil. 2020;36(1):45–53. 7. Sharma A, et al. Feasibility of emotion recognition software in Indian adolescents with ASD. Asian J Psychiatry. 2023;78:103290. 8. Rao P, Kumar S. Social skills training in Indian children with ASD: current status and future directions. Indian J Pediatr. 2020;87(6):435–442. 9. Mukherjee S, et al. Autism awareness and stigma reduction initiatives in Indian urban settings. Autism Res. 2022;15(1):27–35. 10. Prasad M, et al. Emerging technologies for social skills training in ASD. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022;52(2):685–699. 11. Singh V, et al. Pilot trial of facial emotion recognition software for ASD in India. Indian J Pediatr. 2024;91(3):409–415. 12. Landowska A, et al. Automatic emotion recognition in children with autism: a systematic literature review. Sensors (Basel). 2022. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8875834/ 13. Garcia-Garcia JM, et al. Using emotion recognition technologies to teach children with autism spectrum disorder how to identify and express emotions. Univ Access Inf Soc. 2022. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10209- 021-00818-y 14. Mehta S, et al. Virtual reality interventions for social skills in ASD: a systematic review. Autism. 2021;25(5):1193–1210. 15. Patel D, et al. Virtual reality social skills training for ASD: outcomes from an Indian urban sample. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022;52(7):2978–2988. 16. Mehta S, et al. Virtual reality and autism: Indian studies and clinical implications. Asian J Psychiatry. 2023;75:103134. 17. Menon R, et al. AI-generated social stories for ASD: acceptability study in India. Int J Devl Disabil. 2023;69(1):17–27. 18. Agarwal S, et al. Personalized social narratives for Indian adolescents with ASD using AI. J Autism Dev Disord. 2024;54(2):430– 440. 19. Roy P, et al. Mobile app-based social skills coaching for ASD in India: pilot study. JMIR MhealthUhealth. 2023;11:e45678. 20. Kumar A, et al. AI chatbot intervention for social skills in ASD: preliminary findings from India. Indian J Psychiatry. 2023;65(2):165–172. 21. Narayan V, et al. Cultural and linguistic challenges in AI SST tools for Indian ASD population. Int J Devl Disabil. 2024;70(3):215– 224. 22. Singh T, et al. Therapist perspectives on AI integration in SST: insights from Indian clinicians. Asian J Psychiatry. 2022;67:102933. 23. Joshi S, et al. Autism stigma and awareness in metropolitan Indian cities. Indian J Soc Psychiatry. 2021;37(1):23–30. 24. Rajan S, et al. AI tools in autism therapy: a scoping review. Comput Methods Programs Biomed. 2023;227:107257. 25. Rao S, et al. Barriers to AI adoption in ASD therapy in India. J Indian Acad Appl Psychol. 2023;49(1):55–63. 26. Ramesh K, et al. Multidisciplinary collaboration for AI-driven autism care in India. Indian J Multidiscip Health. 2022;2(4):121– 129. 27. Kapoor S, et al. Role of human therapists in AI-assisted social skills training for ASD. J Autism Dev Disord. 2023;53(6):1883– 1892. 28. D'Souza V, et al. Ethical challenges in AI adoption for pediatric mental health in India. Indian J Psychiatry. 2022;64(3):268– 275. 29. Gupta N, et al. Digital divide and its impact on AI-based health interventions in India. Indian J Public Health. 2022;66(3):227– 233. 30. Singh S, et al. Urban-rural disparities in access to autism interventions in India. Indian J Pediatr. 2021;88(11):1083–1090. 31. Rao K, Srinivasan S. Social communication challenges during adolescence in ASD. J Indian Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020;16(2):78–84. 32. Gupta A, et al. Implementing social skills programs in Indian schools: challenges and strategies. Int J Devl Disabil. 2018;64(3):123–130. january–march 2026 | Volume 4 | Issue 1 Aadarsh Pvt. Ltd. 18 33. Narayan R, et al. User-centered design principles for AI tools in Indian autism therapy. Int J Hum Comput Stud. 2024;156:102754. 34. Mehta P, et al. Technological infrastructure for AI interventions in Indian healthcare. J Healthc Inform Res. 2023;7(1):18–28. 35. Sharma V, et al. Language and cultural adaptation in ASD interventions: Indian perspectives. Int J Devl Disabil. 2023;69(2):125– 134. 36. Narayan V, et al. Language localization in AI SST: Indian challenges and solutions. Comput Linguist India. 2024;12(1):17–27. 37. Kumar R, et al. Feasibility of telehealth and AI for autism interventions in urban India. J Autism Dev Disord. 2023;53(4):1327– 1336. 38. Singh N, et al. Effectiveness of AI tools in ASD social skills training: Indian evidence review. Indian J Pediatr. 2024;91(5):450– 460. 39. Suresh N, et al. Training modules for Indian therapists on AI SST tools. Indian J Psychol Med. 2024;46(1):55–63. 40. Das S, Basu A. Stigma and social inclusion of children with ASD in urban India. Soc Sci Med. 2021;279:113950. 41. Rao A, et al. Cost-effectiveness of AI augmented social skills interventions in India. Indian J Public Health. 2023;67(1):41–49. 42. Bansal P, et al. User feedback on AI-based SST apps for ASD in India. Indian J Devl Disabil. 2024;39(1):45–52. 43. Chatterjee S, et al. Digital literacy and its role in AI health interventions in India. Indian J Public Health. 2022;66(2):133–139.