Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Children-Basel

Publication Date

8-12-2026

Abstract

Highlights What are the main findings? What is the implication of the main finding?Highlights What are the main findings? What is the implication of the main finding?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.

ISSN

2227-9067

Publisher

MDPI AG

Volume

13

Issue

8

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

neurodiversity, psychological interventions, autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, children, quality of life

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Indexed in Scopus

no

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

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