Improving Service Access in ASD: A Systematic Review of Family Empowerment Interventions for Children with Special Healthcare Needs

Abstract

We systematically reviewed research on interventions designed to increase service access for children with special healthcare needs through family empowerment, defined as caregiver’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to meet their family’s needs. The purpose was to describe these interventions, evaluate the evidence, and understand their relevance for increasing service access for children with autism spectrum disorder. Identified studies (n = 25) showed consistent improvements in knowledge and attitudes, limited assessment of behavior, and mixed outcomes for service access, suggesting a need for greater understanding of how to empower families to meet their service needs. Future research should aim to integrate theory across development, application, and evaluation of interventions, while considering alternative approaches that put more responsibility and burden on systems of care.