A Survey of Occupational Therapists on a New Tool for Sensory Processing.
Caroline J Mills, Elisabeth Michail, Rosalind A Bye
PMID 32190013WHAT IT FOUND
All 20 occupational therapists surveyed said they would use The Sensory Form in practice, finding it helpful for linking sensory issues to participation.
However, responses were mixed on whether parents or teachers could use it effectively, with many noting it requires professional training.
Key findings
01Every therapist surveyed indicated broad agreement that they would use The Sensory Form in their practice with children.
02Therapists identified the form's focus on participation and its ability to prompt professional reasoning as key strengths.
03Opinions were divided on non-therapist use, with ten therapists disagreeing that the tool was suitable for teachers or parents.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (n=20) and recruited via snowball sampling, which may introduce bias. Participants were predominantly experienced therapists focused on children, so findings may not apply to novice clinicians or adult populations. The study measured perceptions of the tool's utility, not its actual impact on patient outcomes or intervention quality. Perceptions of the intended end-users (parents and teachers) were not collected.
Declared interests
The first author was employed by the organisation that developed The Sensory Form at the time of its creation but not during the research. The organisation gave permission for the study but no therapists were recruited from it.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this survey as evidence that The Sensory Form improves patient outcomes. The study only reports that therapists liked the tool and thought they would use it; it does not measure whether using the form actually helped children participate more.