Global characteristics of the use of complementary and alternative medicine for autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review protocol

Objectives: The aim of this scoping review is to map the existing information on the characteristics of the use of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) as treatment for the signs and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Introduction: ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by social-communication difficulties and restrictive, repetitive behaviors resulting from complex interactions of genetic and environmental factors, and associated with psychological and medical comorbidities. It is a global phenomenon with a detrimental impact on families. Supplemental to conventional treatments care givers can consider using CAM. Eligibility criteria: Primary, secondary, and gray literature sources considering the use of CAM for ASD will be included. Sources proposing the use of CAM for any condition other than ASD or discussing any therapy for ASD other than CAM will be excluded. Studies in all languages will be considered for inclusion, as will sources from the last decade (2015–2025). Methods: This scoping review will be conducted in line with the JBI scoping review framework and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A primary search of PubMed to identify keywords and phrases will be followed by subsequent searches of Emcare (Ovid), Nursing and Allied Health Premium (ProQuest), Scopus, and Google Scholar. The titles, abstracts, and full texts of identified sources will be screened for relevancy by 2 independent reviewers, with conflicts adjudicated by a third reviewer. Findings will be discussed in a narrative summary and illustrated using figures, tables, and a gap map. Review registration: OSF https://osf.io/c9j5n/overview