Comparison of Sensory Profile and SensOR scores of children with and without Autism Sarah DobbsMSOT/S 12

Background Literature

•Autism Spectrum Disorders• DSM IV criteria: issues in social

interaction, communication, and repeated behaviors

• Sensory issues are NOT part of criteria • 30%-100% of children with ASD have

sensory-perceptual abnormalities of some sort

Watling, 2001

Sensory Issues

• Sensory Processing Disorder-sensory system does not regulate information with correct responses

• Sensory Modulation Disorder-difficulty responding to sensory input with behavior that is graded relative to the degree, nature, or intensity of the sensory information. • hyposensitivies and hypersensitivies Miller (2007)

Sensory relation to OT

•Sensory processing can influence developmental milestones as well as behavior. This can impact areas of ▫ADLs▫IADLs▫Work▫Leisure

Sensory Assessments in OT

•Sensory processing is often gathered by OT’s to initiate a baseline to help determine▫Effective sensory treatment▫Sensory appropriate goal setting▫Relations to children’s occupations based

on sensory processing information

Sensory Assessments: Sensory Profile

•Developed by Dunn in 1999•125 item questionnaire •Describes responses to sensory events

and potential processing problems (1-5 pt scale)

•Eight categories •Standardized•Uses Dunn’s sensory quadrants

Background Lit-Sensory Quadrants

Neurological ThresholdBehavioral Response/Self-Regulation

Continuum

  Passive Active

     

High Threshold (habituation) Registration Seeking

Low Threshold (sensitization)

Sensitivity Avoiding

Dunn

Sensory Assessments: SensOR

•Developed in 2008•Based on objective data•7 sensory domains•11 scoring options

Problem Statement

•A child’s sensory baseline information is gathered by a caregiver or teacher in the form of a questionnaires of current standard practice.

•The problem is they are not observational measures.

•Shift in sensory assessment towards objective data needs to occur.

Problem Statement

•The purpose of this study is to determine if caregiver or teacher perspectives of a child sensory system are adequate by the comparison of the Sensory Profile of a child to the same child’s score on the clinically observable SensOR Inventory Assessment.

Hypothesis

•Although the Sensory Profile has been ruled to be reliable and valid, for the purposes of this study I predict that there will be discrepancies between the data gathered by the Sensory Profile verses data from the SensOR.

Target Population

•50 children with and without ASD•Clayton Academy•Attempt to control for age/gender

References • Ahn, R. R., Miller, L. J., Milberger, S., & McIntosh, D. N. (2004). Prevalence of parents’ perceptions of

sensory processing disorders among kindergarten children. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 58, 287-293.

• Dunn, W. (2001). The sensations of everyday life: Empirical, theoretical, and pragmatic considerations, 2001 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55, 608–620.

• Ermer, J. & Dunn, W. (1998). The sensory profile: A discriminant analysis of children with and without disabilities. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 52(4), 283-291

• Hilton, C., Graver, K., & LaVesser, P. (2007). Relationship between social competence and sensory processing in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 1, p. 164-173

• May-Benson, T. A., & Koomar, J. A. (2010). Systematic review of the research evidence examining the effectiveness of interventions using a sensory integrative approach for children. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 64, 403–414. doi: 10.5014/ajot.2010.09071

• Mayer, M. L., White, B. P., Ward, J. D., & Barnaby, E. M. (2002). Therapists’ perceptions about making a difference in parent-child relationships in early intervention occupational therapy services. American Journal of Occupational Thearpy, 56, 411-421.

• Miller, L. J., Anzalone, M. E., Lane, S. J., Cermak, S. A., & Osten, E. T.(2007). Concept evolution in sensory integration: A proposed nosology for diagnosis. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61(2), 135-140.

• Miller, L. J., Coll, J. R., & Schoen, S. A. (2007). A randomized controlled pilot study of the effectiveness of occupational therapy for children with sensory modulation disorder. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61, 228-238.

• Schaaf, R. C., & Nightlinger, K. M. (2007). Occupational therapy using a sensory integrative approach: A case study of effectiveness.American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61, 239-246.

• Schoen, S. A., Miller, L. J., & Green, K. E. (2008). Pilot study of the sensory over-responsivity scales: Assessment and inventory. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62(4), 393-406.

• Tomchek, S. D., & Dunn. W. (2007) Sensory processing in children with and without autism: A comparative study using the short sensory profile. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61, 190-200.

• Watling, R. L., Deitz, J., & White, O. (2001). Comparison of Sensory Profile scores of young children with and without autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55, 416–423.