Autism Spectrum Disorder
Conditions
Keywords
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Occupational Therapy, Sensory-Based Intervention, Children
Brief summary
This controlled clinical study will investigate the effects of a 12-week structured sensory-based occupational therapy intervention on occupational performance, sensory processing, gross motor development, and eating behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. Forty children aged 3-9 years will be assigned to either an intervention group receiving face-to-face occupational therapy twice weekly or a control group receiving an individualized home program.
Detailed description
This controlled clinical study will evaluate the effects of a structured sensory-based occupational therapy intervention on occupational performance, sensory processing, gross motor development, and eating behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. A total of 40 children aged 3-9 years with Level 2 autism spectrum disorder will be assigned to a structured sensory-based occupational therapy group (n=20) or a control group (n=20). The intervention group will receive 40-minute, face-to-face occupational therapy sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. The sessions will be structured according to each child's sensory and functional needs and will be progressively adapted based on the child's clinical development. The control group will receive individualized home recommendations, which will be monitored weekly using information and visual records provided by caregivers. Assessments will be performed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Occupational performance and satisfaction will be evaluated using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, sensory processing using the Dunn Sensory Profile, gross motor development using the Test of Gross Motor Development-Third Edition, and eating behaviors using the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALStructured Sensory-Based Occupational Therapy
The intervention will consist of individualized sensory-based occupational therapy activities addressing tactile, proprioceptive, vestibular, visual-motor, gross motor, feeding-related, and occupational performance needs. It will be delivered face-to-face for 40 minutes, twice weekly, over 12 weeks, and will be progressively adapted according to each child's clinical needs and development.
BEHAVIORALIndividualized Home Activity Program
Caregivers will implement individualized home-based sensory and functional activity recommendations using materials available in the home environment. The program will continue for 12 weeks and adherence will be monitored weekly through caregiver reports and visual records.
Sponsors
Emre DANSUK
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Because of the nature of the interventions, participants and treating physiotherapists will be aware of the allocated intervention. Outcome assessments will be conducted by an independent physiotherapist who will be blinded to group allocation. Statistical analyses will be performed by a biostatistician who will be blinded to the coded group assignments.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
3 Years to 9 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Children aged 3-9 years * Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder according to DSM-5 criteria * Level 2 autism spectrum disorder * Residence in Istanbul * Written informed consent provided by a parent or legal guardian
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of an additional neurological, psychiatric, genetic, or developmental diagnosis * Regular medication use that may affect study outcomes * History of epilepsy or seizures * Inability to participate in the assessment or intervention procedures * Participation in another structured sensory-based occupational therapy program during the study period
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Occupational Performance | Baseline and Week 12 | Occupational performance will be assessed using the performance score of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Higher scores will indicate better perceived occupational performance. |
| Change in Satisfaction with Occupational Performance | Baseline and Week 12 | Satisfaction with occupational performance will be assessed using the satisfaction score of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Higher scores will indicate greater satisfaction. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Sensory Processing | Baseline and Week 12 | Sensory processing will be assessed using the Dunn Sensory Profile. Scale scores will be interpreted according to the instrument's standardized scoring system. |
| Change in Gross Motor Development | Baseline and Week 12 | Gross motor development will be assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development Third Edition, including locomotor and ball skills subscales. Higher scores will indicate better gross motor performance. |
| Change in Eating Behaviors | Baseline and Week 12 | Eating behaviors will be assessed using the Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and its subscale scores. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Contacts
CONTACTEmre Dansuk, PhD
CONTACTBurak Menek, PhD
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOREmre DANSUK, PhD
Medipol University
Outcome results
None listed