Sensory Integrative Therapy and Autism Ranking:

Additional Information

The College of Occupational Therapists (2015) summarised its position on sensory integration as follows:

“In the climate which values evidence based practice, those who are funding occupational therapy services are increasingly requesting information about effectiveness and efficiencies of interventions. Evidence for Ayres Sensory Integration Therapy and sensory-based strategies remains inconclusive and hence may not be considered justifiable and cost-effective. Moreover, some families reported that intensive sensory programmes can be overly burdensome or have concerns about the social stigma associated with carrying them out in school or community settings. 

“Occupational therapists do, however, have a key role to play in supporting people with sensory processing issues. This can be done by enabling a better ‘fit’ between the person, his/her occupations and the environment. An occupational therapists’ knowledge of sensory processing can be used to offer insight for families and carers into the sensory needs of a person which facilitates a better understanding of behaviour.

“Occupational therapists focus on the needs of a person in relation to the occupations they want to, need to, or are expected to do.  If a person with sensory processing challenges has functional needs then there is a legitimate role for the occupational therapist. If their sensory needs are impacting on functional performance, this would be alongside the impact of the environment and skills of the person. 

“In conclusion, Rodger et al summarised that occupational therapy…must not be seen as synonymous with sensory integration therapy… if as a profession we persist with offering child-specific interventions that focus only on a narrow sensory perspective, we will have failed to deliver the breadth of interventions that occupational therapists have the expertise to provide. These are interventions that focus directly on occupational performance and enable optimal participation for children."

Related Additional Information

• Sensory Integrative Therapy

Updated

16 Jun 2022

Last Review

01 Apr 2018

Next Review

01 May 2024