• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1-27
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• 2023

Objective: This study designed an Augmented Reality-based intervention program for children with conflicted shyness and examined its effects on social avoidance motivation and preference for being with others. Methods: Sixteen six-year-old children were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in a six-week AR-based program. Both teachers and children rated social avoidance motivation and preference for being with others to evaluate the program's effectiveness. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Social avoidance motivation decreased only for the experimental group. Conversely, the control group showed increased motivation scores as reported by the children. The preference for being with others increased in the experimental group based on teacher reports. For the control group, preference scores reported by teachers and children were maintained and decreased, respectively. Conclusion/Implications: This study highlights the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing social avoidance motivation and maintaining a preference for being with others in children experiencing conflicted shyness. Furthermore, the use of AR technology provided a psychologically safe environment for them to initiate social interactions without fear of negative evaluation, highlighting its potential as a primary intervention tool for this population.