Race and Ethnicity Reporting in Occupational Therapy Research Among Autistic Youth.

This study looked at how well occupational therapy research includes children from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Researchers found that many studies don't report who participated, especially in areas like daily living skills and play. School-based studies were better at including diverse participants than clinic-based studies. This lack of diversity in research means we don't know if treatments work equally well for all children.

This systematic review examined race and ethnicity reporting patterns in occupational therapy research with autistic youth under 18 years (2013-2021). The analysis revealed significant gaps in demographic reporting across different intervention areas and settings. Activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs/IADLs) and play interventions showed poor reporting rates (66.7% each), while social participation in schools and education/work interventions demonstrated complete reporting (100%). Sample diversity was highest in school-based research but most limited in clinical settings.

The findings highlight how systemic racism in research participation perpetuates health inequities among autistic children and adolescents from historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups.

Results indicate significant gaps in diverse representation across occupational therapy research settings and intervention types. Clinicians should be aware that evidence base may not adequately represent outcomes for autistic youth from historically marginalized communities, particularly in clinical settings and ADL/play interventions.

This is a secondary analysis of existing systematic review data. Sample sizes and specific demographic breakdowns were not reported. The study period was limited to 2013-2021, and findings may not reflect current research practices.

Historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups are underrepresented in autism research broadly; however, patterns of inclusion in occupational therapy research are unknown.In this secondary data analysis, we examined race and ethnicity reporting across articles included in a systematic review of evidence related to occupational therapy practice with autistic individuals <18 years (2013-2021).Two team members reached >90% interrater coding agreement in race and ethnicity reporting across articles in ADLs/IADLs, education/work, play, sleep, and social participation in clinics, homes/communities, and schools.Intervention outcomes of ADL/IADLs (66.7%) and play (66.7%) had low rates of reporting, while social participation in schools (100%) and education/work (100%) had higher rates of reporting. Sample diversity was greatest among research in schools and most limited in clinic-based settings.Systemic racism that limits individuals' participation in occupational therapy research perpetuates racial and ethnic health inequities among autistic children and adolescents.