Interventions centered on children with autism spectrum disorder and/or their families: a scoping review

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition where early intervention has a key role in the development of children. In Chile, the enactment of the new ASD law highlights the need to promote research that supports evidence-based decision-making applied to the Chilean context.

Objective: To describe interventions focused on children with ASD and/or their families that are documented in scientific and gray literature in Chile.

Methods: This scoping review included databases and university repositories, following the protocol proposed by Arksey & O’Malley, later extended by Levac and the Joanna Briggs Institute. The review was complemented by the evidence assessment proposed by the University of North Carolina (Relevance, Reliability, Validity, and Applicability).

Results: Eight articles and eight theses were included. Evidence on interventions for children with ASD and/or their families is limited but increasing. Intervention programs used are usually based on music and art therapy (n = 6), use of technologies (n = 3), behavioral approaches (n = 3), or developmental approaches (n = 2). Although they show promising results, they should be carefully considered as the quality of the evidence is low.

Conclusions: Research using rigorous methodological designs should be encouraged when evaluating interventions for the ASD population within the Chilean context, and promote the use of promising interventions, such as Developmental-Based Approaches or Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions.