Immediate Effect of Ayres's Sensory Integration-Based Occupational Therapy Intervention on Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Headnote

KEY WORDS

* A. Jean Ayres

* autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)

* pediatric

* sensory integration

OBJECTIVE. This study examined the effects of Ayres's sensory integration intervention on the behavior and task engagement of young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Clinical observations and caregiver reports of behavior and engagement also were explored to help guide future investigations.

METHOD. This single-subject study used an ABAB design to compare the immediate effect of Ayres's sensory integration and a play scenario on the undesired behavior and task engagement of 4 children with ASD.

RESULTS. No clear patterns of change in undesired behavior or task management emerged through objective measurement. Subjective data suggested that each child exhibited positive changes during and after intervention.

CONCLUSION. When effects are measured immediately after intervention, short-term Ayres's sensory integration does not have a substantially different effect than a play scenario on undesired behavior or engagement of young children with ASD. However, subjective data suggest that Ayres's sensory integration may produce an effect that is evident during treatment sessions and in home environments.

Watling, R. L., & Dietz, J. (2007). Immediate effect of Ayres's sensory integration-based occupational therapy intervention on children with autism spectrum disorders. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61, 574-583.

Recent estimates suggest that the incidence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the United States is approximately 6 per 1,000 children, equating to around 114,000 children younger than age 5 years (Fombonne, 2003). Children with ASD often demonstrate undesirable behaviors such as stereotypic motor movements, aimless running, aggression, and self-injurious behaviors (Filipek et al., 1999). Children engaged in undesired behaviors are not available to engage in or learn from therapeutic activities (Harris & Wolchik, 1979; Smith, Press, Koenig, &Kinnealey, 2005). Engagement refers to an individual's interaction with the social and nonsocial environments (McWilliam & Ware, 1994). Engagement is a central component of participation, an important aspect of occupation that is emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2001) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA, 2002). Research shows that children with ASD spend less time engaged than children without disabilities (McGee, Daly, Izeman, Mann, & Risley, 1991). High levels of active engagement in instructional and therapeutic activities have been shown to be crucial in effective intervention for children with ASD...