Assistive technology for developmental conditions: A scientometric analysis

Assistive technology plays a pivotal role in supporting individuals with developmental conditions by fostering independence and addressing needs across physical, cognitive, and communicative domains. Despite its benefits, widespread adoption remains limited due to high costs, usability challenges, and limited real-world applicability. This study offers a comprehensive overview of assistive technology’s role in the context of developmental conditions by outlining key research areas and influential publications. Using a scientometric approach, we examined 1322 documents from Scopus and their 44,699 references. Co-citation analysis revealed three main thematic clusters and identified four particularly impactful publications, with the most influential authored by Lancioni and Singh (2014). A qualitative analysis of the clusters highlighted three recurrent research themes: (1) communication and mobility in individuals with profound developmental conditions; (2) cognitive functions and autonomy in individuals with developmental and intellectual conditions; and (3) communication and social cognition in autism. These areas reflect the increasing integration of assistive technologies into therapeutic, educational, and daily life contexts, enhancing quality of life, autonomy, and social participation. Emerging research also underscores the ethical need to design technologies that respect the preferences and lived experiences of individuals with developmental conditions, avoiding the imposition of neurotypical norms. Co-participation in design is gaining prominence, promoting more personalized, inclusive, and neurodiversity-oriented approaches.