The impact of person–environment–occupation transactions on joint attention in children with autism spectrum disorder: A scoping review

Abstract

Introduction

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder demonstrate difficulty with joint attention, affecting social and occupational performance. Studies of joint attention in children with autism spectrum disorder employ a variety of instrumentation, environments and occupations. From the occupational therapy perspective, current literature lacks a rigorous analysis of the transactions of person, environment and occupation embedded within the procedures of these studies. The goal of this scoping review was to investigate how these components transact to affect occupational performance.

Method

Using the Person–Environment–Occupation model as an evaluative lens, a scoping review was completed to summarize person, environment and occupation transactions in studies examining joint attention in children aged 6–12 years with autism spectrum disorder.

Results

Six studies were included. Findings indicated that simplified social environments and demonstrations of joint attention promoted higher joint attention performance in children with autism spectrum disorder, at the cost of ecological validity. Maintaining ecological validity in complex social environments resulted in lower joint attention performance.

Conclusion

The Person–Environment–Occupation model can be used to develop an occupational therapy perspective on literature from outside the discipline. There is a relationship between the person, environment, occupation transactions and joint attention in children with autism spectrum disorder.