Active community participation and success at work largely depend on our ability to function in various social roles, such as guiding or assisting others. For autistic adults, a lack of skills in these social roles can be a significant barrier. Strengthening self-efficacy in these situations is considered critical for improving skills.

To develop effective tools for strengthening self-efficacy in social roles, researchers developed an innovative training system called TCR. This system allows users to perform a variety of social role-based behaviors, such as guiding and assisting, using a computer-generated graphic avatar, all within a bustling and realistic commercial environment. The study, published in J Med Internet Res, 2026 Sep 30, examined the feasibility of the TCR system and its potential to reduce anxiety and strengthen self-confidence, motivation, metacognition, and self-efficacy in performing social roles in real interactions.

The study included 38 autistic adults who were divided into two groups: the TCR group (20 participants), who received TCR training along with communication instruction from teachers, and a control group (18 participants), who received only communication instruction. Both groups underwent five intervention sessions over 42 days. Researchers assessed anxiety levels, self-confidence, motivation, metacognition, and self-efficacy in social roles, using self-reports and observer reports.

The study findings indicate the following:

  • In self-reports, participants in the TCR group showed significant improvement in self-efficacy. Improvements were also observed in anxiety, self-confidence, motivation, and metacognition.
  • In observer reports, which were more objective, significant improvements were recorded in self-efficacy, anxiety, and self-confidence among the TCR group, with improvements also in motivation and metacognition.

The TCR system offers an innovative approach by allowing users to practice social roles in a simulated yet realistic environment. The uniqueness of the system lies in combining opportunities for observing peers and role models, along with encouragement, real-time feedback, and verbal persuasion from a coach. All of these create multiple sources for strengthening self-efficacy.

The study demonstrates the feasibility of the TCR system and its potential to improve self-efficacy in social roles. This initial finding indicates a significant contribution to the development of more effective interventions for improving functional social outcomes for autistic adults. The system may support the development of skills relevant to employment and social participation in real-world environments, and represents an approach with broad potential for community implementation. It is important to note that the allocation of participants to groups was based on the order of registration and not randomly, which may affect the strength of the conclusions and requires further research.