Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Clinical Research Article
  • Published:

Positive behavioral effect of sensory integration intervention in young children with autism spectrum disorder

Pediatric Research volume 93, pages 1667–1671 (2023)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Sensory integration occupational therapy (SI-OT) might be useful for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in younger age, according to Pusponegoro. Previous studies were still limited, especially in younger age. This study evaluated the effect of SI-OT in improving positive behaviors of ASD children aged 2–5 years.

Methods

Non-randomized controlled trial of SI-OT evaluation, assessed with Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-II.

Results

A total of 72 subjects were studied. Following SI-OT, communication skills (expressive, receptive), socialization (coping skills), and daily living skills (personal, community) were improved significantly.

Conclusions

SI-OT with Ayres theory in 60 min, twice a week for 12 weeks improved positive behaviors.

Impact

  • To address the effectivity of sensory integration occupational therapy (SI-OT) in improving positive behaviors of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) children aged 2–5 years.

  • The first study to evaluate evidence of SI-OT in ASD younger than 3 years.

  • Non-randomized controlled trial of SI-OT evaluation of ASD in younger children aged 2–5 years with Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale-II.

  • SI-OT of Ayres theory in 60 min, twice a week for 12 weeks improves communication domain (expressive, receptive, written) aged 2–4 years, and socialization domain (interpersonal relationship, play, and leisure time) aged 2 years of ASD children.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data and material are available for transparency.

Code availability

Program Software SPSS vers.25.

References

  1. Wiggins, L. D. et al. DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder maximizes diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in preschool children. Soc. Psychiatry Psychiatr. Epidemiol. 54, 693–701 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Sanchack, K. E. & Thomas, C. A. Autism spectrum disorder: primary care principles. Am. Fam. Phys. 94, 972–980 (2016).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Christensen, D. L., Baio, J. & Braun, K. V. Prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years-autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2014. MMWR Survaill Summ. 67, 1–28 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zwaigenbaum, L., Bauman, M. L. & Fein, D. Early screening of autism spectrum disorder: recommendations for practice and research. Pediatrics 136, S41–S59 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. American Academy of Family Physician. Clinical preventive service recommendation. Autism spectrum: children (ages 18 to 20 months). http://www.aafp.org/patient-care/clinical-recommendations/all/autism-children.html (2019).

  6. Siu, A. L., Bibbins-Domingo, K. & Grossman, D. C. Screening for autism spectrum disorder in young children: U.S. Preventive Service Task Force recomendation statement. JAMA 315, 691–696 (2016).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Myers, S. M. & Johnson, C. P. Management of children with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatrics 120, 1162–1182 (2007).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Weitlauf, A. S., Sathe, N., McPheeters, M. L. & Warren, Z. E. Interventions targeting sensory challenges in autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review. Pediatrics 139, 1–22 (2018).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Case-Smith, J., Weaver, L. L. & Fristad, M. A. A systematic review of sensory processing interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism 19, 133–148 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Pusponegoro, H. D. Autism: Light in the Dark (University of Indonesia, Jakarta, 2016).

  11. Pusponegoro, H. D. & Elvira. Y. Influence of Occupational Sensory Integration Therapy in Reducing Negative Behaviours in Children 2 to 5 Years with Autism Spectrum Disorder [Unpublished thesis] (University of Indonesia, Jakarta, 2018).

  12. Parham, L. D. et al. Development of a fidelity measure for research on the effectiveness of the Ayres sensory integration® intervention. Am. J. Occup. Ther. 65, 133–142 (2011).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Sparrow, S. S., Cicchetti, D. V. & Balla, D. A. Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale 2nd edn (Pearson Assessments Press, Minneapolis, 2005).

  14. Pfeiffer, B. A., Koenig, K., Kinnealey, M., Sheppard, M. & Henderson, L. Effectiveness of sensory integration interventions in children with autism spectrum disorders: a pilot study. Am. J. Occup. Ther. 65, 76–85 (2011).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Schaff, R. C. et al. An intervention for sensory diffiulties in children with autism: a randomized trial. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 44, 1493–1506 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Iwanaga, R. et al. Pilot study: efficacy of sensory integration therapy for Japanese children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Occup. Ther. Int. 21, 4–11 (2014).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Preis, J. & McKenna, M. The effect of sensory integration therapy on verbal expression and engagemnet in children with autism. Int. J. Ther. Rehabil. 21, 476–486 (2014).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Williams, D. L., Siegel, M. & Mazefsky, C. A. Problem behaviour in autism spectrum disorder: association with verbal ability and adapting/coping skill. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 1, 1–10 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pugliese, C. E. et al. Increasing adaptive behavior skill deficits from childhood to adolescence in autism spectrum disorder: role of executive function. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 45, 1579–1587 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Kukreti, M. & Varma, P. Sensory integration therapy on social and self care skills in children with autism. Int. J. Indian Psychol. 2, 71–77 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Bal, V. H., Kim, S. H., Cheong, D. & Lord, C. Daily living skills in individuals with autism spectrum disorder from 2 to 21 years of age. Autism 19, 774–784 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Itzchak, E. B. & Zachor, D. A. Who benefits from early intervention in autism spectrum disorders? Res. Autism Spectr. Disord. 5, 345–350 (2011).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurology, Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital, Salemba Street No. 6, 10430, Jakarta, Indonesia

    Citra Raditha, Setyo Handryastuti, Hardiono D. Pusponegoro & Irawan Mangunatmadja

  2. Division of Neurology, Department of Child Health, Harapan Kita National Women and Children Health Center, Letjend. S Parman Street No. 87, 11420, Jakarta, Indonesia

    Citra Raditha

Authors
  1. Citra Raditha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Setyo Handryastuti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hardiono D. Pusponegoro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Irawan Mangunatmadja
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study's conception and design, commented on previous versions of the manuscript, and read and approved the final manuscript and agreed to publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Citra Raditha.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by The Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine Universitas of Indonesia no. KET-167/UN2.F1/ETIK/PPM.00.02/2019. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Consent for publication

Additional informed consent was obtained from all individual participants for whom identifying information is included in this article.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Raditha, C., Handryastuti, S., Pusponegoro, H.D. et al. Positive behavioral effect of sensory integration intervention in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Pediatr Res 93, 1667–1671 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02277-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-022-02277-4

Search

Advanced search

Quick links