Caregivers’ Perspective About the Levels of Sensory Processing Problems in Children With Autism

Abstract

Background: Children with autism should interact and get along with their surrounding environment. Therefore, the researchers must try to explain the reasons of challenges in their adaptive behaviors. This study aimed to evaluate levels of challenges in sensory processing and the motor domain of adaptive behavior among children with autism in Egypt, and to explore the effect of sensory processing on subdomains of gross and fine motor skills. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Study questionnaires were distributed to 180 caregivers of children with autism in Cairo, Egypt, between July 2017 and February 2018. The caregivers were selected by convenience sampling method. The questionnaires used were the sensory checklist and adaptive behavior scales. Descriptive statistics and comparing means were used to determine the levels of sensory processing and motor domain of adaptive behavior. Linear regression analyses was used to test the effects of sensory domains on motor areas. SPSS-PC V. 25 was used to analyze the obtained data. Results: The results demonstrated various problems in children’s sensory processing and the motor domain of adaptive behavior. Caregivers reported that 96.67% of the children had frequent sensory challenges in at least one component of sensory domains, mostly in visual system (27.2%). Subdomain of fine motor skills (Mean=1.4951) showed higher challenges than gross motor skills (Mean=1.9455). This study proved significant inverse effect for movement processing on gross motor subdomain at α=0.05. Conclusion: Parents of children with autism, occupational therapists, and other healthcare practitioners should gain in-depth knowledge regarding their children’s behaviors and their possible reasons.

Keywords

• autism
• sensory processing
• adaptive behavior
• occupational therapy