Indigenous Autism in Canada: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Indigenous Health
• Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
• Canadian Health Policy

Background:

• A significant gap exists in research concerning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within Indigenous populations in Canada.
• Existing literature lacks a comprehensive understanding of ASD in Indigenous communities and often overlooks Indigenous perspectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of the existing literature on autism and Indigenous people in Canada.
• To assess the quality of this literature from an Indigenous perspective using an adapted Indigenous Quality Assessment Tool (QAT).

Main Methods:

• A scoping review methodology was employed to explore the literature.
• The Indigenous Quality Assessment Tool (QAT) was adapted to evaluate the quality of 24 selected articles and reports (15 peer-reviewed, 9 grey literature).
• Inclusion criteria focused on autism, Indigenous people, and Canada.

Main Results:

• Out of 212 identified articles, 24 met the inclusion criteria for the review.
• Most studies concentrated on program delivery, with some utilizing primary quantitative and/or qualitative data.
• The overall quality of the research, as assessed by the QAT, was deemed poor.

Conclusions:

• The findings underscore a critical need for more research on autism within Indigenous communities in Canada.
• There is a strong emphasis on the importance of conducting research in full partnership with, or led by, Indigenous peoples.
• Future research should prioritize Indigenous perspectives and community involvement to improve the quality and relevance of findings.