Downloads: 1
Review Paper | Psychology | Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026 | Pages: 964 - 972 | India
Neurolinguistic Programming as an Intervention for Neurodivergent Children Aged Two to Seventeen: A Systematic Review
Abstract: Background: Neurolinguistic Programming has been proposed as a communication-based intervention approach for neurodivergent paediatric populations; yet its empirical foundation across the developmental span remains fragmented. The present systematic review evaluates the efficacy of NLP-based techniques for neurodivergent children aged two to seventeen years. Methods: Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, peer-reviewed clinical trials and longitudinal studies published between 2000 and 2024 were identified through systematic searches of PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. Two independent reviewers performed initial screening, data extraction, and cross-verification, with methodological quality appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Internal validity was assessed with respect to the clarity of diagnostic criteria for neurodivergence and the standardization of NLP representation system modifications; ecological validity and statistical adequacy of sample sizes were likewise evaluated. Disagreements regarding eligibility or risk assessment were resolved through consultation with a third-party expert. Results: Communication pattern modification through linguistic reframing, modeling, representational system shifts, behavioral anchoring, and interactive conversational scaffolding was associated with gains in expressive language, social reciprocity, and sensory loading capacity. Behavioral regulation techniques-including cognitive anchoring, mental imagery, predictive coding strategies, and rhythmic sensory scaffolding-were mapped onto medial prefrontal executive function and autonomic stabilization, with practitioners prioritizing foundational sensory-motor regulation as a prerequisite for higher-order cognitive and linguistic outputs. Developmental staging emerged as critical, with early-childhood interventions emphasizing primary sensory-motor loops and adolescent interventions pivoting toward metacognitive reframing and perspective-taking. Conclusions: NLP-based protocols offer promising, brain-body-integrated pathways for neurodivergent paediatric care, but persistent methodological heterogeneity, sample bias, shortage of rigorous randomized controlled trials, and the absence of standardized predictive-language metrics constrain causal inference. Future research must adopt neurodiversity-affirming, culturally diverse, and participatory designs and incorporate ecologically valid neurophysiological assessment tools.
Keywords: Neurolinguistic programming, neurodivergence, autism spectrum disorder, pediatric intervention, systematic review, sensory integration, communication patterns, behavioral regulation
How to Cite?: Karthikaeswari T, Dr. S. Stalin Paneer Selvam, "Neurolinguistic Programming as an Intervention for Neurodivergent Children Aged Two to Seventeen: A Systematic Review", Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 964-972, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26710224219, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26710224219