Sensory processing and integration and children with alcohol-related diognoses: an exploratory analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was: (1) to examine sensory processing and integration in young children with alcohol-related diagnoses to determine if there were differences in performance when compared to a group of typically developing children; (2) to explore the relationships between selected measures of sensory processing and integration with measures of early school performance and adaptive behavior; and (3) to determine which, if any, sensory processing, adaptive behavior, and school performance variables discriminated between children with and without alcohol-related diagnoses.Twenty-five children with alcohol-related diagnoses were compared with 26 children with typical development matched for age, gender, and race/ethnicity on a battery of standardized tests that measured the following: (1) sensory processing, (2) sensory-motor performance, (3) school performance, and (4) adaptive behavior. Participants were 5 years to 8 years 6 months of age enrolled in preschool through second grade.Results suggested that children with alcohol-related diagnosis performed significantly different from and more poorly than children with typical development on 10 of 13 primary variables. The performance of children with alcohol-related diagnoses was also more frequently classified in categories that indicated sensory processing and motor concerns, as well as behavior problems based on teacher and caregiver ratings. Findings from a discriminant function analysis suggested that measures of sensory processing, sensory-motor performance, math abilities, adaptive behavior and problem behaviors most consistently discriminated between these two groups of children. There were moderate positive relationships between several sensory-motor variables and math performance, adaptive behavior, and problem behaviors.Results provide evidence of dysfunction in sensory integration, in addition to other behavioral and academic deficits in children with alcohol-related diagnoses. Such factors should be considered when assessing the neurobehavioral function and educational performance of young children with alcohol-related diagnosis. Replication of these findings and further investigation of interventions and outcomes based on a sensory integration framework are warranted.