Ability and Disability in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review Employing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health‐Children and Youth Version

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Schipper, E. d., Lundequist, A., Coghill, D., Vries, P. J. d., Granlund, M., Holtmann, M., Jönsson, U., Karande, S., Robison, J. E., Shulman, C., Singhal, N., Tonge, B. J., Wong, V., Zwaigenbaum, L., & Bölte, S. (2015). Ability and Disability in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review Employing the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health‐Children and Youth Version. Autism Research, 8(6), 782-794. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.1485

Publication date: 28 Mar 2015 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
15
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 15 (6.7%)
  1. Elles de Schipper
  2. Aiko Lundequist
  3. David Coghill
  4. Petrus J. de Vries
  5. Mats Granlund
  1. Martin Holtmann
  2. Ulf Jönsson
  3. Sunil Karande
  4. John Elder Robison *
  5. Cory Shulman
  1. Nidhi Singhal
  2. Bruce J. Tonge
  3. Virginia Wong
  4. Lonnie Zwaigenbaum
  5. Sven Bölte

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study is the first in a series of four empirical investigations to develop International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The objective was to use a systematic review approach to identify, number, and link functional ability and disability concepts used in the scientific ASD literature to the nomenclature of the ICF-CY (Children and Youth version of the ICF, covering the life span). METHODS: Systematic searches on outcome studies of ASD were carried out in Medline/PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC and Cinahl, and relevant functional ability and disability concepts extracted from the included studies. These concepts were then linked to the ICF-CY by two independent researchers using a standardized linking procedure. New concepts were extracted from the studies until saturation of identified ICF-CY categories was reached. RESULTS: Seventy-one studies were included in the final analysis and 2475 meaningful concepts contained in these studies were linked to 146 ICF-CY categories. Of these, 99 categories were considered most relevant to ASD (i.e., identified in at least 5% of the studies), of which 63 were related to Activities and Participation, 28 were related to Body functions, and 8 were related to Environmental factors. The five most frequently identified categories were basic interpersonal interactions (51%), emotional functions (49%), complex interpersonal interactions (48%), attention functions (44%), and mental functions of language (44%). CONCLUSION: The broad variety of ICF-CY categories identified in this study reflects the heterogeneity of functional differences found in ASD--both with respect to disability and exceptionality--and underlines the potential value of the ICF-CY as a framework to capture an individual's functioning in all dimensions of life. The current results in combination with three additional preparatory studies (expert survey, focus groups, and clinical study) will provide the scientific basis for defining the ICF Core Sets for ASD for multipurpose use in basic and applied research and every day clinical practice of ASD.

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Cited references
42
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
2 / 42 (4.8%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
2 / 182 (1.1%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 2 / 26 (7.7%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 2 / 133 (1.5%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
26 / 182 (14.3%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 20 / 133 (15.0%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
24 / 26 (92.3%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 24 / 182 (13.2%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 18 / 20 (90.0%).
1 cited bibliography entry could not be fully enriched from DOI metadata.
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