Towards an Understanding of Spirituality in the Context of Non-verbal Autism: A Scoping Review This paper represents the first stage of a larger continuing research study, exploring the spirituality of people with non-verbal autism. The purpose of this first stage of the research was to review existing literature on the topic and identify gaps intended to inform the direction(s) of the larger study. Building in the theological construct that all people are "fearfully and wonderfully made" in the divine image of an almighty creator, this research stems from the premise that the lives of all people, including those with profound disability, have purpose and inherent value. Therefore, if Divine intent does underpin "the life context of someone living with a profound disability", the next logical step in enquiry is to ponder "how a Divine encounter might be experienced by such a person, and how, if at all, would this encounter be expressed by the recipient" [authors]. Deland (1999) proposed that "It may well be that the experiences of people with disabilities will provide not only new images but deeper insight into God's image than those temporarily-abled have ever perceived." (p. 51). As such the spirituality of people with disabilities is worthy of exploration. The reported increase over the last few decades of the number of people diagnosed with autism, and the particular life context of those with non-verbal autism, who are the least researched and understood people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), formed the impetus for this research. Autism Spectrum Disorder The global prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders was recently estimated at 1/160 people (Elsabbagh et al., 2012; World Health Organisation [WHO], 2013), or 1% of the world's population (Lai, Lombardo, & Baron-Cohen, 2014). It is important to note however that "The prevalence of ASDs in many low-and middle-income countries is as yet unknown" SPIRITUALITY IN NON-VERBAL AUTISM: A SCOPING REVIEW 2 (WHO, 2013, p. 6). Statistics reveal an alarming growth in the diagnosis of autism; in Australia an estimated 115,400 individuals had a diagnosis of ASD in 2012 compared to 64, 400 people in 2009 (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2014). Although there is some argument that the increase in autism could be attributed more to factors such as changing diagnostic criteria, increasing awareness of the disorder, and methodological issues rather than a true increase in cases (e.g.

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