Date Presented 03/26/20
Ninety percent of OTs use sensory-based interventions to manage sensory-processing disorder (SPD) in school settings (Ahn et al., 2004). Although sensory diets, a sensory-based intervention, are widely used in school-based settings to manage SPD, the current evidence on sensory diets is sparse (Case-Smith et al., 2015). This topic discusses the results of this study, which investigated the effectiveness of sensory diets on children’s classroom behaviors.
Primary Author and Speaker: Vidya Pingale
Contributing Authors: Tina Fletcher, Catherine Candler
PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of sensory diets on children’s classroom behaviors.
METHODS: A single subject A-B-A design was used with three children attending 1st and 2nd-grade level special education classes in an urban public school. Each phase for each participant lasted for two weeks. Children between the ages of 5 and 8 years with sensory processing disorder as evidenced by a score in the definite difference range (+ 2 SD) on one section or the quadrant or probable difference (+ 1 SD) range on two or more sections on the Sensory Profile™ 2 (Dunn, 2015) caregiver or teacher questionnaire and were receiving school-based occupational therapy services were recruited for the study.
Three target behaviors individualized for each child were measured for the group and individual classroom contexts. The data were collected by video recording participants for 15 minutes during group and individuals contexts for each day during all phases.
INTERVENTION: Sensory diets were developed based on the framework proposed by Wilbarger (Wilbarger & Wilbarger, 2002) and consisted of an activity plan tailored for each participant to facilitate their sensory processing skills throughout a school day. An occupational therapist delivered sensory diets three times a day during the intervention phase.
RESULTS: Visual analysis showed a decrease in sensory seeking behaviors of all participants in both contexts. These changes were corroborated by significant binomial results for group and individual contexts. Similarly, all participants showed a decrease in inappropriate behaviors in both contexts. Binomial test results for target behaviors related to inappropriate behaviors were significant only for one participant for both contexts and for all participants for an individual context. Non-classroom engaged behaviors (redirection behaviors) of all participants decreased in both contexts. Additionally, binomial results were significant for all participants for group contexts and only for one participant for an individual context. Participants showed variations in responses to the withdrawal of sensory diets.
Overall, the visual analysis showed a positive decrease in measured target behaviors for the three participants with the introduction of the sensory diets.
CONCLUSION: Sensory diets can be effective in improving children’s sensory processing, psychosocial, and classroom engagement behaviors. Further study is needed to ensure sensory diets and not investigator-participant interactions induced changes in target behaviors.
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(3), 287-293. doi: 10.5014/ajot.58.3.287
Case-Smith, J., Weaver, L. L., & Fristad, M. A. (2015). A systematic review of sensory processing interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 19(2), 133-148. doi: 10.1177/1362361313517762
Dunn, W. (2015). Sensory profile 2. Bloomington, MN: Psychological Corporation.
Wilbarger, J., & Wilbarger, P. (2002). Clinical application of the sensory diet. In A. C. Bundy, S. J. Lane, & E. A. Murray (2nd Ed.). Sensory integration: Theory and practice. Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis.
