Participation Measures for Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Scoping Review

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify participation measures for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A comprehensive search strategy was employed across several electronic databases with hand searching of reference lists. Seven measures of participation were identified; five measures had standardization samples that included preschool children with ASD and three provided both validity and reliability data. Each assessment reported psychometric properties and covered a range of developmentally appropriate activities and environments. Parents and professionals can use the identified participation measures to describe participation challenges that exist. However, professionals may need to elicit additional information regarding the impact of repetitive and restrictive interests, interpersonal abilities and novel environments on participation to capture the core challenges of ASD.