The Effect of Sensory Integration Therapy on Occupational Performance in Children With Autism

Abstract

Sensory processing problems and related dysfunctions are among the most common conditions in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examined the effect of sensory integration therapy (SIT) on different aspects of occupational performance in children with ASD. The study was conducted on an intervention group (n = 16) receiving SIT and a control group (n = 15) with 3- to 8-year-old children with ASD. The Short Child Occupational Profile (SCOPE) was used to compare the two groups in terms of the changes in their occupational performance and the Sensory Profile (SP) was used to assess sensory problems. The intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in all the SCOPE domains, as well as in all the SP domains, except for the emotional reactions and emotional/social responses domains, (p < .05). The effectiveness of SIT in improving occupational performance in children with ASD as a health-related factor is supported by our findings.