Abstract:
Disparities in diagnosis and access to healthcare and therapeutic services are well-documented
for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from minoritized races and ethnicities, but there
is little empirical research to guide the selection and implementation of interventions and practices
that will effectively support racially/ethnically diverse children with ASD and their families. This
cross-over systematic review summarizes parent-mediated intervention research of children with or
at risk for mental health disorders to identify potentially effective recruitment and retention strategies
for diverse participants in parent-mediated intervention research for children with autism. Electronic
database keyword, lead author name searches in PyschNet, MEDLINE, and ancestral searches were
conducted to identify 68 relevant articles that used experimental designs to evaluate the effects
of parent-mediated interventions on children with or at risk for mental health disorders. Articles
were coded for participant demographics; intervention setting and type, recruitment and retention
strategies, cultural adaptation of intervention, and reported attrition. Findings are discussed and
applied to practices in autism parent-mediated intervention research. Suggestions for future research
and limitations are discussed.