Occupational Therapy Interventions Using New Technologies in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review.
S Domínguez-Lucio, L M Compañ-Gabucio, L Torres-Collado and 1 others
PMID 35048236WHAT IT FOUND
Most studies using tech in OT for autism showed improvements in daily living and social skills, but many were small and lacked control groups.
Two larger trials found no significant difference compared to standard care. Evidence is too weak to confirm efficacy.
Key findings
01Computers and iPads were the most common technologies used, primarily targeting activities of daily living and social skills.
02While many smaller studies reported positive changes, two larger randomized or controlled trials found no significant difference between the technology intervention and usual care.
03The evidence base is limited by small sample sizes, lack of control groups, and failure to assess if improvements transferred to real-world settings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The review included only experimental studies, excluding qualitative or observational data. Search was limited to English and Spanish publications. The review did not assess the quality or risk of bias of the included studies, meaning some positive results may come from poorly designed trials. High heterogeneity in intervention types, durations, and outcome measures prevented a meta-analysis or direct comparison of efficacy. Many included studies had small sample sizes and lacked control groups.
Declared interests
Funding for the scoping review itself came from universia-indra foundation and Universidad Miguel Hernández. The authors declared no conflicts of interest for the review. The included studies had varying funding sources, including public grants and private foundations, with one study author having developed the intervention program being evaluated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that technology-based OT interventions are superior to standard care. The review found that while many small studies showed positive changes, the larger controlled trials did not demonstrate significant benefits over usual therapy. The 'positive' findings are largely from studies without control groups, where improvement could be due to time, attention, or natural development rather than the technology.