Abstract
Childhood maltreatment has a harmful impact on the developing brain. This work will contribute to an understanding of how maltreatment affects sensory processing and of the relationships between sensory processing challenges and behavior.
Primary Author and Speaker: Michelle A. Suarez
Additional Authors and Speakers: Kelsey M. Lehman
The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge of sensory processing patterns in children who have experienced trauma. In addition, the relationship between any sensory processing challenges and ’problem behaviors’ was explored. This retrospective chart review included 476 charts drawn from a center for children who have experienced maltreatment. Measures of sensory processing (i.e. Sensory Profile 2, SP-2) and behavior (Child Behavior Checklist, CBCL) were used to examine relationships between these constructs. Charts were included if the child was in the 0-15 year-old age range and had at least one traumatic event on the Trauma Screening Checklist (Henry et al., 2010). Charts were excluded due to the presence of a confounding diagnosis (e.g. Autism). Descriptive statistics documented the prevalence of low (hyper- responsivity) and high (hypo-responsivity) threshold for sensory stimulus. Mann Whitney U was used to determine if children with and without hyper and hypo responsivity had differences in behavior. Children in this study ranged in age from 3 months to 14 years, 9 months with 208 males and 148 females. Most children were living in foster care (n=139) with 98 in relative care, 48 in residential care, 43 with biological parents, and 22 with adoptive parents. On the SP-2, the percentage of children who scored in the more/much more than others categories for Avoiding was 45.8%, Sensitivity 33%, Registration 32.7% and Seeking 26.8. There was a significant difference in the CBCL totals for children who demonstrated more/much more in all sensory processing categories. A large number of children demonstrated more/much more in all sensory processing categories and these children had significantly more ‘problem behaviors’. Understanding the link between sensory processing and behavior for this population could provide a treatment path that honors the child’s internal experiences with sensation and facilitates meaningful engagement in occupation.
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