ABSTRACT

Objective : The purpose of this study was to introduce intervention for improving the imitation skills of children with an ASD, and to emphasize the importance of the occupational therapist’s role and the need for further research in this area. Methods : For the main keywords of a database search, “ASD AND Gesture imitation AND (Intervention OR Training)” were used. Using ProQuest, PubMed, MEDLINE, and Scopus, we systematically reviewed articles published from 2006 to 2016. A total of 13 studies were included in the analysis. Results : The results reveal that many studies followed a single subject study design. The most commonly applied intervention was reciprocal imitation training. In addition, intervention was mostly provided for a wide range of ages. Improvement of one’s imitation skills affected the language, social skills, behavioral problems, motor skills, and ADL skills of children. The study field accounting for the highest proportion was shown to be psychology. Conclusion : Through this systematic review, we were able to determine and understand that the imitation skills of children with an ASD are a prerequisite for learning, and affect other developmental areas. In the future, based on this study, research on intervention for improving children’s imitation skills may be developed further by occupational therapists.