When life gives you lemons : designing a game with and for autistic girls

Autistic girls, who are diagnosed less frequently than boys and are often able to blend into their social environment while obscuring autistic behaviours, often face difficulties interacting and integrating with their social environment and become marginalized by their peers. In recent years, applied games (also "serious games") have gained popularity as a tool to support young autistic people in their socio-emotional development. This study investigates how we can design an applied computer game to support autistic girls (10-16y.) by providing a safe environment to experience simulated social interactions and learn how to cope with conflict and emotions. The project employed a user-centric approach by involving autistic girls, experts and practitioners during the design process. The two main outcomes are a proposal for a game design and playable game prototype, as well as insights on the active involvement of autistic girls as game co-designers.