Inclusive tourism and children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders: Systematic review of the literature

Authors

  • Ana Rita Conde Azores Child and Youth Development Center, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Lusófona University, HEI‐Lab Digital Human‐Environment Interaction Labs, Oporto, Portugal, Email: rita.conde@ulusofona.pt
  • Suzana Nunes Caldeira University of Azores, Interdisciplinary Center for Social Sciences, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: suzana.n.caldeira@uac.pt https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1024-6958
  • Isabel Estrela Rego University of Azores, Institute for Research in Volcanology and Risk Assessment, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal Email: isabel.mc.rego@uac.pt
  • Tânia Botelho Azores Child and Youth Development Center, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: tb@cdija.pt
  • Osvaldo Silva University of Azores. Interdisciplinary Center for Social Sciences, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: osvaldo.dl.silva@uac.pt
  • Áurea Toledo de Sousa University of Azores, Center of Applied Economics Studies of the Atlantic, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: aurea.st.sousa@uac.pt
  • Pilar Mota Azores Child and Youth Development Center, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: direcao.geral@cdija.pt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v35i.2806

Keywords:

inclusive tourism, families, children, diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder, systematic review, tourist needs

Abstract

The present work undertakes a systematic review of the literature and research on the subject, using the PRISMA- P guidelines. The research was carried out in five electronic databases. It was found that there are few publications on inclusive tourism aimed at families with children with diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (n=11). Most of them are qualitative studies. They focus on the needs of families, from which they draw implications in terms of necessary practical responses. Except for a study on the airport context, there are no studies that seek to empirically validate responses or tourist products. The need for empirical validation of tourist offers that are truly inclusive and beneficial to the psychological well-being of families and children is discussed. Some important guidelines/evidence that must be met in inclusive tourism aimed at this population are highlighted.

Author Biographies

Ana Rita Conde , Azores Child and Youth Development Center, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Lusófona University, HEI‐Lab Digital Human‐Environment Interaction Labs, Oporto, Portugal, Email: rita.conde@ulusofona.pt

Degree in Psychology, Master in Clinical Psychology and PhD in Psychology of Justice from the University of Minho. Assistant Professor at Lusophone University of Porto, researcher in the Tourism & Autism project (ACORES-01-0247-FEDER-000043), under the coordination of the Azores Children's Development Center (CDIJA) and developed in Co-Promotion with the Açoreana DMC and the University of the Azores. Effective member of the Portuguese Psychologists Association (Professional Certificate No 1693); specialist in Clinical and Health Psychology (August 2016) and with an advanced specialty in Psychology of Justice (December 2016). clinical psychology (cognitive rehabilitation, alexithymia, autism) and within the scope of qualitative methodologies.

Suzana Nunes Caldeira, University of Azores, Interdisciplinary Center for Social Sciences, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: suzana.n.caldeira@uac.pt

Graduated in Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Lisbon, she took Pedagogical and Scientific Aptitude Tests from the University of the Azores and has a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of the Azores. She is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of the Azores where she teaches mainly in the area of ​​Educational Psychology. She is a member of the Interdisciplinary Center for Social Sciences, CICS.NOVA-CICS.NOVA.UAc. His research interests began by focusing on issues in the field of career psychology, gradually being integrated into issues of education for coexistence and the prevention of disruptive, conflictive and violent behaviors, with an impact on educational environments. She is accredited as a specialist in Educational Psychology and in Vocational Psychology and Career Development by the order of portuguese psychologiststhe (Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses).

Isabel Estrela Rego , University of Azores, Institute for Research in Volcanology and Risk Assessment, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal Email: isabel.mc.rego@uac.pt

She has a B.A. in Psychology from Northeastern University, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College and a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of the Azores. She is an Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of the Azores where she has taught social, community, environmental and developmental psychology. She was a member of the Research Center for Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO-Grupo Açores) until October 2013, when she joined the Institute for Research in Volcanology and Risk Assessment (IVAR). Her research interests include risk perception and communication, disaster preparedness, pro-environmental attitudes, sustainable behavior, community development and people-place relationships.

Tânia Botelho , Azores Child and Youth Development Center, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: tb@cdija.pt

Graduated in Speech Therapy at the Porto Higher School of Technologies and Health (ESTSP). She has a Postgraduate Diploma in Disorders from Childhood to Adolescence (CRIAP) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Orofacial Motricity (EPAP). Coordinator of NIITE at the Azores Children's Development Center (CDIJA). Researcher in the Epidemiological Study on Autism Spectrum Disorder, in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, with the support of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the University of the Azores. Researcher in the Tourism & Autism project (ACORES-01-0247-FEDER-000043), under the coordination of the Azores Children's Development Center (CDIJA) and developed in Co-Promotion with the Azoreana DMC and the University of the Azores.

Osvaldo Silva , University of Azores. Interdisciplinary Center for Social Sciences, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: osvaldo.dl.silva@uac.pt

PhD in Mathematics and Statistics. Assistant Professor at the University of the Azores, Interdisciplinary Center for Social Sciences. He has published 28 articles in specialized journals and 65 works in proceedings of events, has 18 book chapters and 3 published books. He works in the area of Exact Sciences with an emphasis on Mathematics. In his professional activities, he interacted with 36 collaborators in co-authorship of scientific works. Scientific production that stands out in the field of Data Analysis, Higher Education, Praxe Académica, Affinity coefficient, VL methodology, Ascendant hierarchical cluster analysis, Group Peers, Grupo e Processos Interpessoais, Juventude and Higher education. Researcher in the Tourism & Autism project (ACORES-01-0247-FEDER-000043), under the coordination of the Azores Children's Development Center (CDIJA) and developed in Co-Promotion with the Azoreana DMC and the University of the Azores.

Áurea Toledo de Sousa, University of Azores, Center of Applied Economics Studies of the Atlantic, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: aurea.st.sousa@uac.pt

She holds a PhD in Mathematics, specializing in Probability and Statistics, a Master's in Statistics and Information Management and a degree in Mathematics. She is Assistant Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of the Azores and researcher at the Center for the Study of Applied Economics of the Atlantic (CEEAplA). She teaches and researches mainly in the area of Statistics and Data Analysis. Her main interests are in the area of Multivariate Data Analysis, Probability and Statistics, Symbolic Data Analysis and Computational Statistics. In these areas, she has presented several communications at national and international scientific events, and published several articles, mainly in scientific journals and in books. Editor-in-Chief (2021) of the e3-magazine of economics, companies and entrepreneurs in the CPLP.

Pilar Mota , Azores Child and Youth Development Center, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. Email: direcao.geral@cdija.pt

Degree in Clinical Psychology from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Porto. Specialist in Social, Work and Organizational Psychology and in Clinical and Health Psychology; Advanced specialty in Community Psychology (Order of Portuguese Psychologists). She assumes the General Directorate of the Center for Children and Youth Development of the Azores (CDIJA). Responsible for the Scientific and Technical Coordination of the Tourism & Autism Project (ACORES-01-0247-FEDER-000043), developed in Co-Promotion with the Açoreana DMC and the University of the Azores. Researcher in the Epidemiological Study on Autism Spectrum Disorder, in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, with the support of the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of the University of the Azores.

Downloads

Published

2023-06-16

How to Cite

Conde, A. R., Caldeira , S. ., Rego, I. ., Botelho , T. ., Silva , O. ., Toledo de Sousa, . Áurea ., & Mota , P. (2023). Inclusive tourism and children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders: Systematic review of the literature. European Journal of Tourism Research, 35, 3502. https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v35i.2806

Issue

Vol. 35 (2023): European Journal of Tourism Research

Section

Review papers

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Ana Rita Conde , Suzana Nunes Caldeira, Isabel Estrela Rego , Tânia Botelho , Osvaldo Silva , Áurea Toledo de Sousa, Pilar Mota

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.