Gender and diagnostic differences in children’s preferences for social robot design. A mixed-methods study with autistic and neurotypical children

Abstract

Introduction Autistic children are increasingly engaging with social robots in educational and support contexts, but limited research has compared the perceptual and design preferences of autistic and neurotypical children. Methods This mixed-methods study examined the robot design preferences of 43 children aged 3–15 years, including 21 autistic and 22 neurotypical children, and included semi-structured interviews with 11 adult stakeholders, comprising six experts and five non-experts. Quantitative analyses explored relationships between robot preference and perceptual features, including size, color, movement, voice, and anthropomorphism, while qualitative thematic and co-occurrence analyses examined perceived benefits, ethical issues, accessibility challenges, and ideal design characteristics. Results Perceptual characteristics, particularly movement intensity and color multiplicity, influenced robot preference. Across groups, children generally preferred humanoid robots with soft voices and eye movement. Gender-related differences appeared more consistent than diagnostic differences in preferences for size and movement speed. Autistic children highlighted playful and social interaction functions and showed greater variability in preferred personality-related traits. Qualitative findings indicated strong interest in robot-supported interactions, while also raising concerns about accessibility and possible emotional dependency. Discussion These findings suggest that inclusive social robot design should prioritize modificable sensory features, moderated anthropomorphism, predictable interaction patterns, and personalization mechanisms that account for individual, gender-related, and diagnostic differences.