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Non-pharmacological interventions for autism spectrum disorder in children: an overview of systematic reviews

Nicolás Meza1, Valeria Rojas2,3, Camila Micaela Escobar Liquitay4

  • 1Interdisciplinary Centre for Health Studies (CIESAL), Cochrane Chile Associate Centre, Universidad de Valparaíso, Viña del Mar, Chile.

BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine
|February 26, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Non-pharmacological interventions may benefit children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in areas like language and social skills. However, synthesized evidence is limited, necessitating high-quality systematic reviews for more definitive conclusions on ASD treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents complex challenges in children.
  • Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly explored as treatment options.
  • A comprehensive assessment of existing evidence is crucial for guiding clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for children with ASD.
  • To synthesize findings from systematic reviews on ASD treatments.
  • To identify gaps in the current research landscape.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of systematic reviews (SRs) methodology.
  • Searched major databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Epistemonikos) in October 2021.
  • Assessed methodological quality using AMSTAR 2 and reported GRADE certainty of evidence (CoE).

Main Results:

  • Four SRs were included, analyzing 17 non-pharmacological interventions.
  • Some interventions (EIBI, ABA, PECS, NDBI) showed potential benefits for language, social skills, and functioning (very low to low CoE).
  • Significant gaps exist in reporting for outcomes like restricted/repetitive behaviors and sensory processing.

Conclusions:

  • Current synthesized evidence on non-pharmacological interventions for ASD in children is limited.
  • High-quality SRs are needed to cover a broader range of interventions and outcomes.
  • Further research is essential to establish robust evidence for effective ASD therapies.
Abstract

Keywords:
mental disordersmental health recoveryneurologypsychiatry

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