(PS2-78) Toward Equitable ASD Care: A Multidisciplinary Scoping Review of Racial Concordance Interventions

Abstract Text: Title: Toward Equitable ASD Care: A Multidisciplinary Scoping Review of Racial Concordance Interventions


Racial and ethnic minorities with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) face significant structural, sociocultural, and interpersonal barriers to accessing equitable diagnostic and intervention services. While some cultural adaptations such as language and imagery have shown some success, they often fail to address deeper relational needs essential for building trust and improving clinical outcomes. Racial concordance, the strategy of matching clients with practitioners of the same racial background, has been shown to increase rapport, engagement, and therapeutic outcomes in the fields of healthcare, education, and psychiatry. However, its application in ASD interventions remains significantly underexplored. This study presents a multidisciplinary scoping review to assess the potential benefits of racial concordance in ASD interventions, ultimately aiming to map existing literature, identify gaps, and evaluate evidence that are transferable from related fields. A search was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases, focusing on peer-reviewed studies that explored racial concordance in interventions addressing social, behavioral, and emotional outcomes. Keywords included “Autism”, “racial match”, “cultural competence”, and other related terms. Studies were included if they assessed intervention outcomes with a racial or ethnic component and involved racially diverse populations in the United States. Preliminary findings have suggested that racial concordance may significantly enhance client-practitioner rapport, increase client engagement, and improve social skill development among racially diverse ASD populations. Studies identified in education and healthcare have shown that same-race practitioners can effectively reduce cultural dissonance, thereby facilitating better communication and treatment adherence. However, there is still a critical gap that exists in empirical research directly assessing the impact of racial concordance in ASD-specific interventions. These findings support the need for culturally responsive care models in ASD treatment, suggesting that integrating racial concordance could improve behavioral, emotional, and social outcomes for minority populations. Future studies should empirically test these strategies to establish evidence-based guidelines for culturally responsive ASD interventions.