Access to Heritage for People with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs): A Systematic Review

Castro-López P.; Fernández-Arias P.; Vergara D. · Encyclopedia (2026) · DOI: 10.3390/encyclopedia6010015

Resumen

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are neurobiological conditions that arise in childhood and affect the personal, social, academic, and occupational development of those who exhibit them. The aim of this study is to analyze scientific research on neurodevelopmental disorders and their relationship to accessibility in cultural heritage, to identify the methodological approaches that currently predominate, and to examine which types of NDD are most studied and which ones are currently overlooked in scientific research. Existing adaptations for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were used as a reference point for the analysis, given their high prevalence in the child population. This study was conducted following the DSM-5-TR criteria and the PRISMA 2020 protocol to select and analyze scientific articles published in the last decade, between 2015 and 2025, obtained from the Scopus database. The results show an increase in the dissemination of scientific literature on access to cultural heritage for people with NDDs, although in a very limited way. Furthermore, within the NDDs themselves, it is ASD that appears to be most represented, with an increase in applied techniques and inclusive experiences. Based on these findings, it is recommended that future research focus on finding educational tools and best practices that promote inclusion and accessibility to cultural heritage for people with other developmental disabilities, such as ADHD.

Instituciones: Universidad Interamericana para el Desarrollo