Occupational therapy using an Ayres Sensory integration® approach for school-age children – a randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Sensory-based interventions, for children with problems regarding sensory integration (SI), have become recognised by the public in recent years; many advertised intervention programmes do not truly reflect the principles of Ayres Sensory Integration approach (ASI®). Furthermore, there is still a lack of evidence-based practice to support its clinical application in Hong Kong. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of occupational therapy (OT), with ASI® interventions, for school-age children with SI problems through randomised controlled trials. Fifty-two subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group; 27 participants in the experimental group received 16 sessions (45 min each) of ASI® intervention. Pretest/posttest changes in scores for goal attainment scaling, the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT), and the Chinese Sensory Profile showed significant improvement in the experimental group. The results indicate that the ASI® intervention is effective in treating children with SI problems.