Occupational therapy and sensory integration for children with autism: a feasibility, safety, acceptability and fidelity study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of a manualized protocol of occupational therapy using sensory integration principles for children with autism.


METHODS
Ten children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ages 4-8 years received intensive occupational therapy intervention using sensory integration principles following a manualized protocol. Measures of feasibility, acceptability and safety were collected from parents and interveners, and fidelity was measured using a valid and reliable fidelity instrument.


RESULTS
The intervention is safe and feasible to implement, acceptable to parents and therapist, and therapists were able to implement protocol with adequate fidelity. These data provide support for implementation of a randomized control trial of this intervention and identify specific procedural enhancements to improve study implementation.
Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. roseann.schaaf@jefferson.edu
Roseann C
RC
Schaaf
Teal W
TW
Benevides
Donna
D
Kelly
Zoe
Z
Mailloux-Maggio
D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000628:therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome