TOPIC

Sensory integration research

Everything we have read on sensory integration. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

135 PAPERS · PAGE 1 OF 3 · NEWEST FIRST

• OTOther2026The Influence of Sensory Processing on Executive Function in Young Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn young autistic children, more sensory seeking and less responding to input were linked with greater caregiver-reported executive function difficulties, especially working memory, even after anxiety and ADHD were considered.
• OTSLPOther2026Adaptive Functioning, Sensory Processing, and Behavioral Problems in Autistic Children: The Moderating Role of Gender.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn autistic children similar in age and intelligence, girls had more behavioral problems and weaker everyday communication, while boys had more sensory difficulties. Everyday skills were linked to behavior in girls, but not boys.
• OTOther2026Turkish Translation and Cultural Adaptation of the Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI).Occupational therapy internationalExperts rated the Turkish EASI sensory integration test instructions clear and culturally appropriate, and nine children understood them. This adaptation is not evidence that the test measures what it should for Turkish children yet.
• PTOTSurvey2016Evaluation of sensory processing abilities following stroke using the adolescent/adult sensory profile: implications for individualized intervention.Journal of physical therapy scienceStroke survivors mostly resembled healthy adults on sensory processing. They differed in low registration, sensation seeking, and sensation avoiding, not in sensory sensitivity. The profile describes patterns, not treatment effects.
• OTOther2016The correlation between proprioception and handwriting legibility in children.Journal of physical therapy scienceBetter kinesthetic sense correlated with more legible handwriting, but elbow joint position sense did not. The study included only 19 right-handed children aged 9 to 10, so it cannot guide treatment decisions.
• OTNarrative Review2016Toward an interdisciplinary approach to understanding sensory function in autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchNeuroscientists and occupational therapists define sensory processing differently, creating barriers to collaboration. Neuroscientists focus on controlled lab measures of neural response, while OTs focus on daily life participation. Current evidence does not confirm that sensory treatment causes functional improvement, highlighting the need for joint research.
• OTOther2016The Role of Attention in Somatosensory Processing: A Multi-trait, Multi-method Analysis.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParent-reported sensory problems in children with autism did not match lab touch tests. Parent-reported attention and sensory ratings moved together, and lab attention and lab touch performance moved together.
• OTSLPRCT2016A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Low-Dose Sertraline in Young Children With Fragile X Syndrome.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPLow-dose sertraline did not improve expressive language or clinician-rated global improvement more than placebo in young children with fragile X. Some secondary gains appeared in fine motor, visual reception, and combined developmental scores.
• OTSurvey2017Increased Sensory Processing Atypicalities in Parents of Multiplex ASD Families Versus Typically Developing and Simplex ASD Families.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents from multiplex ASD families reported more sensory sensitivity, avoidance and low registration, and less sensation seeking, than parents of typically developing children. This was self-report, not evidence of a disorder or a treatment target.
• OTOther2017The Development of a Measurement Tool Evaluating Knowledge Related to Sensory Processing among Graduate Occupational Therapy Students: A Process Description.Occupational therapy internationalA new online test for teaching sensory processing reasoning to OT students showed poor reliability. Students liked the case-based format but found the time limit restrictive. The tool needs revision before it can be used to assess clinical reasoning.
• OTPilot2017Exploring the Influence of an E-Learning Sensory Processing-Based Module for Graduate Level Occupational Therapy Students on Clinical Reasoning: A Pilot Study.Occupational therapy internationalFirst-year occupational therapy students scored 68% on a sensory reasoning test after an e-learning module, missing the 70% target. They excelled in relationship and attention categories but struggled with environment and culture.
• OTSLPCase-Control2018Relationship between physiological and parent-observed auditory over-responsiveness in children with typical development and those with autism spectrum disorders.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism blinked more strongly to sounds of 95 dB or lower and took longer to blink. These body responses were related to parent reports of sensory difficulties, but the study was small and did not test treatment.
• PTOTOther2018Comparing motor performance, praxis, coordination, and interpersonal synchrony between children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Research in developmental disabilitiesChildren with autism showed lower gross and fine motor scores, more errors copying movements, slower movements, and poorer synchrony with a partner than typically developing children, in both higher and lower IQ groups among 24 children with autism and 12 typically developing children.
• OTSLPOther2018Sensory Sensitivity and Food Selectivity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children with ASD, Atypical oral sensory sensitivity was associated with more food refusal (48.2% vs 33.2%) and lower vegetable variety (4.2 vs 8.6). Atypical oral over-sensitivity was associated with more food refusal (52% vs 25%) and lower fruit and vegetable variety.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2017Early development of infants with neurofibromatosis type 1: a case series.Molecular autismAt 10 months, ten infants with NF1 showed motor and communication delays; social engagement and temperament appeared typical. This small series cannot guide treatment.
• OTOther2018Evaluating Sensory Processing in Fragile X Syndrome: Psychometric Analysis of the Brain Body Center Sensory Scales (BBCSS).Journal of autism and developmental disordersA parent-report sensory questionnaire for people with Fragile X syndrome showed stable scores over two months and consistent ratings across auditory, visual, tactile, eating and digestive areas. It can help describe sensory patterns, but it does not show any treatment works.
• OTOther2017Developmental coordination disorders and sensory processing and integration: Incidence, associations and co-morbidities.The British journal of occupational therapyParent reports showed 32% of children with DCD had definite sensory processing difficulties and 56% had some problems. Motor scores did not line up with sensory scores. Children with DCD plus ASD had more definite total sensory difficulties.
• OTOther2017Identification of Sensory Processing and Integration Symptom Clusters: A Preliminary Study.Occupational therapy internationalChildren with sensory processing challenges formed three groups. All had overresponsivity. Groups with craving or underresponsivity alongside overresponsivity had more motor, discrimination, and behavior symptoms.
• OTOther2019The Influence of Noise on Autonomic Arousal and Cognitive Performance in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with ASD and matched peers showed similar working memory changes when 75 dB noise was added. Noise improved the easier task and tended to worsen the harder task, but only the ASD group had rising heart rate on the harder noisy task.
• OTSLPCohort2019Longitudinal assessment of stability of sensory features in children with autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disabilities.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchSome sensory problems eased over time, but children with more severe problems at the first visit usually stayed relatively worse. More occupational, speech-language, or total therapy hours were linked to worse later sensory problems, not better.
• OTSystematic Review2019A systematic review of ayres sensory integration intervention for children with autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAyres Sensory Integration delivered by occupational therapists met special education evidence criteria for children with autism, IQ above 65, ages 4 to 12. The positive studies used individualized, play-based ASI with fidelity checks, not isolated sensory protocols.
• OTCohort2019Sensory over-responsivity: parent report, direct assessment measures, and neural architecture.Molecular autismParent report and direct observation only partly agreed on children's auditory and tactile over-responsivity. Parent report flagged more children with neurodevelopmental disorders. In 39 boys, three brain tracts showed lower integrity in children who were over-responsive to sound.
• OTSurvey2018Sensory Overresponsivity, Loneliness, and Anxiety in Taiwanese Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Occupational therapy internationalHigher sensory avoiding was linked to greater anxiety and loneliness in adults with ASD. Loneliness was linked to both and may help account for the link.
• PTOTOther2019Sensory Processing and Maladaptive Behavior: Profiles Within the Down Syndrome Phenotype.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsParent reports showed children with Down syndrome who seemed hard to engage or sought intense sensory experiences had more disruptive and self-absorbed behavior. This was an association, not proof that changing sensory experiences would change behavior.
• PTOTRCT2019EMG-based vibro-tactile biofeedback training: effective learning accelerator for children and adolescents with dystonia? A pilot crossover trial.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationChildren with secondary dystonia showed improved arm movement coordination and muscle activation patterns when wearing a vibration biofeedback device during training. Children with primary dystonia improved with practice alone, and the device did not help them.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Sex differences in brain structure: a twin study on restricted and repetitive behaviors in twin pairs with and without autism.Molecular autismIn twins, higher repetitive behavior scores linked to thicker brain tissue in the right intraparietal sulcus in females only. Males showed no such structural link in the main analysis. This suggests different biological pathways for these symptoms in girls and boys.
• OTCase-Control2020Processing of Real-World, Dynamic Natural Stimuli in Autism is Linked to Corticobasal Function.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchNo group differences were found in auditory, visual, or sound-and-sight integration brain regions. Instead, adolescents and adults with autism showed lower activation in left parietal and movement-control regions during a visual-only basketball task. This is a research finding, not a clinical marker.
• OTOther2020Sensory Processing Patterns and Fusiform Activity During Face Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAdults with autism who avoided sensory input more showed stronger activity in a face-processing brain area during a face-memory task. Controls did not show this pattern. It is a small observational link, not evidence that treatment changes face processing.
• OTSLPOther2020Revised scored Sensory Perception Quotient reveals sensory hypersensitivity in women with autism.Molecular autismFemales with autism reported significantly more sensory hypersensitivity across all five senses compared to control females, but showed no difference in hyposensitivity. Mothers of children with autism did not report elevated sensory sensitivity compared to controls.
• OTOther2019Psychometric Properties of Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist (SPSRC).Occupational therapy internationalThe Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist reliably distinguishes children with autism from their peers. It identifies four self-regulation factors and four sensory processing factors, offering a structured way to assess both sensory and regulatory difficulties in daily life.
• PTOTOther2020Relationship between Mastery Motivation and Sensory Processing Difficulties in South Korean Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder.Occupational therapy internationalSouth Korean children with DCD showed definite sensory processing difficulties and low mastery motivation. Higher negative reactions to failure and lower perceived competence predicted worse sensory processing scores. Clinicians should assess motivation and confidence when planning sensory interventions.
• OTSurvey2020A Survey of Occupational Therapists on a New Tool for Sensory Processing.Occupational therapy internationalAll 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.
• OTSurvey2020The Mediating Effects of Attachment Styles on the Relationship between Sensory Processing Styles and Interpersonal Problems in Healthy University Students.Occupational therapy internationalIn healthy university students, sensory processing styles linked to interpersonal problems only through attachment. Low sensory registration predicted interpersonal issues via anxious attachment. Sensory avoidance predicted interpersonal issues via avoidant attachment. Sensation seeking showed no link to interpersonal problems.
• OTSLPOther2020Defining clusters of young autistic and typically developing children based on loudness-dependent auditory electrophysiological responses.Molecular autismBrain responses to sound loudness clustered 213 children into four groups. Autistic children with hyper-responsive brains to loud sounds had more caregiver-reported distractibility. However, clusters overlapped heavily with typically developing peers, so neural patterns do not clearly separate diagnoses.
• OTSLPOther2020Dissecting the phenotypic heterogeneity in sensory features in autism spectrum disorder: a factor mixture modelling approach.Molecular autismAutistic children and adults grouped into three sensory severity levels rather than distinct sensory patterns. The severe group had more social-communication, repetitive behaviour and adaptive functioning difficulties.
• OTCohort2020Early Motor Differences in Infants at Elevated Likelihood of Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAt 10 months, infants with a family history of autism or ADHD crossed the body midline less often during block play than typical infants. The difference was not seen at 5 or 14 months, and it was not accompanied by differences in motor scores.
• OTCase-Control2020Sensory profiles in adults with and without ADHD.Research in developmental disabilitiesAdults with ADHD reported different sensory processing than matched adults, even after accounting for anxiety or depression. They missed weak stimuli more, were more sensitive to detail, and sought more sensation, but did not report more avoidance.
• OTOther2020Sex Differences in Salience Network Connectivity and its Relationship to Sensory Over-Responsivity in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn autistic youth, girls and boys had similar sensory over-responsivity, but brain connections tied to it differed: in boys, sensory areas; in girls, frontal areas. Anxiety was higher in girls.
• PTOTPilot2021Preliminary Improvements in Dynamic Postural Control after A Group-based Intervention Program for Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Brief Report.Developmental neurorehabilitationA 10-week group program improved dynamic balance but not static balance in 12 children with DCD. Nine participants improved their dynamic control scores. The lack of a control group and small sample size mean this is preliminary evidence, not proof the program works.
• PTOTOther2021Concurrent and discriminant validity of Nintendo Wii Fit exergame for the assessment of postural sway.Journal of physical therapy scienceFor adults, two Wii Fit games matched standard balance tests on specific sensory conditions, but for elderly users, no game matched the standard test. The games did distinguish adults from elderly participants, but they are not a valid substitute for clinical balance assessment in older adults.
• OTSLPCohort2021Touch and olfaction/taste differentiate children carrying a 16p11.2 deletion from children with ASD.Molecular autismChildren with idiopathic autism showed more touch and taste/smell issues than children with a 16p11.2 deletion. Both groups had higher sensory scores than typical children. The deletion group’s touch and taste/smell profiles looked more like typical children.
• OTOther2021A co-twin-control study of altered sensory processing in autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceWithin identical twin pairs, higher autism traits were still linked to less noticing and more avoiding sensory input. Sensitivity differences were found only in fraternal pairs. Across the sample, autism traits and diagnosis were linked to sensory differences.
• OTOther2021Psychometric Properties of the Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist: English Version.Occupational therapy internationalFilipino parents could use the English Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation Checklist to report children's sensory and regulation behaviours consistently over time, and scores lined up with other parent checklists.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2021Exploration of Sensory Processing Difficulties among Children Attending Primary School in Denmark.Occupational therapy internationalParents of 1,723 Danish primary school children reported that 21.3% showed definite sensory processing difficulties, with boys more affected than girls. The most common issues were sensory seeking and auditory filtering, suggesting a need for classroom awareness rather than clinical diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Prospective and detailed behavioral phenotyping in DDX3X syndrome.Molecular autismChildren with DDX3X syndrome show severe delays in walking, talking, and self-care, often with low muscle tone and unusual gait. They frequently meet criteria for autism and ADHD, and seek intense sensory input rather than avoiding it. Expect profound developmental support needs.
• OTSystematic Review2021Coaching Parents of Children with Sensory Integration Difficulties: A Scoping Review.Occupational therapy internationalCoaching parents of children with autism and sensory difficulties showed promise in four small studies, improving parent competence and child behavior. However, evidence is preliminary, designs varied widely, and long-term maintenance is unproven.
• OTSLPOther2022Characterizing Social Functioning in School-Age Children with Sensory Processing Abnormalities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with sensory abnormalities had worse social functioning than typically developing children and similar functioning to children with autism, even when communication differences were considered.
• PTOTCase-Control2022Cancer survivors post-chemotherapy exhibit unique proprioceptive deficits in proximal limbs.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCancer survivors treated with oxaliplatin showed specific deficits in matching force without visual feedback, but not in reaching or posture. These proximal proprioceptive errors correlated with self-reported motor dysfunction, suggesting force matching may be a more sensitive clinical measure than standard distal symptom surveys.
• OTCohort2022Sensory Processing in Williams Syndrome: Individual differences and changes over time.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMost children with Williams syndrome had parent-reported sensory difficulties, especially with sound, noticing sensory input, discomfort and avoiding stimuli. Over follow-up, fewer systems were impaired, but difficulties noticing sensory input remained common.
• PTOTOther2021Sex differences in sensory processing in children with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchGirls with autism had higher parent-reported hearing and balance and motion sensory scores than boys with autism, while typically developing girls and boys did not differ.