Abstract
Purpose:
A scoping review of the literature was undertaken using JBI guidelines to map the evidence of parent-led therapy (PLT) for young autistic children (£6 years) raised in bilingual environments.
Methods:
Databases were searched on 11 January 2023 (Medline – EBSCO, PsychINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, and ProQuest Dissertations). Eligible papers included peer-reviewed and grey literature that was empirical in nature documenting PLT targeted to parents of young autistic children in bilingual environments. Reviewers used Covidence to screen titles and abstracts of located sources, and to screen full-text papers.
Results
Sixteen papers met inclusion criteria. A strong acceleration of reports of PLT for young autistic children measured in bilingual environments was observed, with 93.8% of papers (n = 15) published since 2015. A large majority of these studies, 87.5% (n = 14) were conducted in North America. Diverse PLT programs and methodologies were identified. Reporting of participants’ language environments was inconsistent. Five programs are identified to be publicly available as a clinical service.
Conclusion
PLT is a rapidly emerging approach to addressing complex issues at the intersection of autism, bilingualism, and service accessibility. Measuring the feasibility and effectiveness of PLT in bilingual environments is relatively novel in research. The synthesised results of this review alert researchers, clinicians, and the autism community, alike, to different types of service and different delivery options for families of young autistic children in bilingual environments, and the evidence gaps in the literature.