Psychological Interventions for Children with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities in the Context of Neurodiversity: A Systematic Review
TL;DR
Overall, the findings suggest that interventions incorporating individualized, strengths-based, and context-sensitive adaptations are associated with more consistent improvements in both functional outcomes and quality of life.
Abstract
Highlights What are the main findings? From a neurodiversity viewpoint, this systematic review summarized research on psychological therapies for children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Conventional therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) have been shown in 34 studies to enhance cognitive functioning, emotional control, and adaptive skills. What is the implication of the main finding? The results encourage a shift toward tailored, strengths-based, and context-responsive therapies that acknowledge neurodivergent variations as a normal aspect of human variability rather than as deficiencies that need to be fixed. More varied neurodevelopmental populations should be included in future studies, better longitudinal designs should be used, and neurodivergent people should be actively included in the creation and assessment of therapies aimed at enhancing long-term functioning, involvement, and quality of life. Abstract Background/Objectives: This systematic review examines psychological interventions for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities within a neurodiversity framework, emphasizing that variations in cognition, behavior, and neurological functioning represent natural forms of human diversity rather than deficits. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across the PubMed, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 2010 and 2025. Studies were included if they focused on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), learning or intellectual disabilities (LD/ID), or specific learning disabilities (SpLD), and evaluated psychological or behavioral interventions. Results: A total of 34 studies met the inclusion criteria after screening and full-text review. The findings indicate that traditional interventions, such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), demonstrate effectiveness in improving adaptive behavior, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning. However, more recent approaches, including Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBI), person-centered therapies, and gamified interventions, show greater alignment with neurodiversity principles by emphasizing individual strengths, autonomy, and environmental adaptation. Conclusions: Despite promising outcomes, the evidence base remains uneven, with a predominant focus on autism and limited high-quality studies addressing other neurodevelopmental conditions. The review highlights the need for more rigorous, inclusive, and longitudinal research, as well as the integration of neurodivergent perspectives in intervention design. Overall, the findings suggest that interventions incorporating individualized, strengths-based, and context-sensitive adaptations are associated with more consistent improvements in both functional outcomes and quality of life.