The Role of Arts and Creativity in Education for Career Readiness and Social Inclusion of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Literature Review

Traditional educational settings and teaching methods often fail to meet the unique educational needs of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), limiting their therapeutic support, academic success, long‐term career development, and broader societal inclusion. Although evidence shows that arts and creativity therapies can enhance socialization, stress management, behavior regulation, empathy, and communication skills in children with ASD, their potential to support inclusive workforce participation and broader societal inclusion has received little scholarly attention. This systematic review examined how arts and creativity therapies are used in educational institutions as a form of social innovation to improve outcomes for children with ASD and to advance societal inclusion. The authors systematically searched four electronic databases (ScienceDirect, EBSCOhost, PubMed, and PsycINFO) from 2014 to 2024 to update the evidence in this period of increased awareness of ASD. The PRISMA flowchart outlined the process. The findings indicate that incorporating arts and creativity therapies into the education of children with autism promotes essential skills for learning, social participation, and employability, while influencing educators' perceptions and behaviors to offer more supportive attitudes with broader societal benefits. However, further longitudinal and experimental research is needed to assess the long‐term effects.