Looking Backward, Thinking Forward

Abstract

As autism spectrum disorders become more prevalent and comprise a growing percentage of occupational therapists’ caseloads, it is important to examine trends in the literature. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide a historical analysis to illuminate changes and gaps in the occupational therapy literature related to autism spectrum disorders to inform the direction of research and practice. A total of 115 articles published in five occupational therapy journals in the United States from 1980 to 2013 were reviewed. Publications were coded by article type, with intervention studies coded in detail. Results indicated a consistent increase in number of publications as years progressed. Analysis by decade highlighted a shift from a biomedical focus to an occupation focus. Suggestions for future research include building a stronger evidence base, developing occupation-based assessments and interventions, and addressing needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders and their families across the life span.