Research suggests a relationship between sensory processing, motor skills and quality of life (QOL) in a variety of clinical populations of adults and children. There have been no studies which investigated the relationship of childhood sensory processing and integration and related motor performance (sensori-motor) patterns identified using an Ayres Sensory Integration® (ASI) frame of reference and later QOL of those children as adults. This longitudinal follow-up study examined this relationship. Adult QOL was also examined in relation to current adult sensori-motor patterns. Fifty-three adults who received occupational therapy services as children, were identified as having sensori-motor difficulties at that time and completed a sensory history and a quality-of-life measure as adults participated. Measures included the OTA the Koomar Center Sensory History (SXHX), Adult/Adolescent Sensory History (ASH), and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF). MANCOVA found that Total childhood sensori-motor scores had a small relationship to Physical Health QOL as adults that approached significance. Pearson Correlations found that adults with childhood sensori-motor challenges who report sensori-motor challenges as adults had a moderate significant relationship among overall sensori-motor functioning and Physical Health (r = −0.56, p = 0.018). Visual (r = −0.76, p = 0.001), movement (vestibular; r = −0.48, p = 0.042) and tactile processing (r = −0.63, p = 0.008) had moderate to large significant relationships with Physical Health. Visual processing (r = −0.54, p = 0.024) was also significantly related to Psychological Health. Motor Coordination trended to significance for Physical Health (r = −0.42) and Psychological Health (r = −0.41). Conversely, adults who reported typical sensori-motor scores as adults, despite childhood sensori-motor challenges, had a good QOL. Furthermore, similar to previous research, there was a relationship between current visual, movement (vestibular) and tactile (touch) sensory processing and adult Physical and Psychological Health. A multivariate linear regression found Sensory Discrimination and Modulation accounted for one-quarter of the variance in QOL in adults with only Discrimination being statistically significant. Therefore, it is important to consider childhood sensori-motor function as well as adult functioning when examining QOL. Further, heretofore unexamined Sensory Discrimination was found to play a role in adult QOL.

Date Presented 03/28/20 Long-term follow-up of 64 children with sensory-processing challenges found that over half scored as typical on an adult sensory history 8 to 32 years later. Adult anxiety and depression was common, especially in females, and was correlated with the most severe adult sensory-processing challenges. This study provides preliminary prognosis information for childhood sensory-processing challenges. Primary Author and Speaker: Teresa May-Benson Additional Authors and Speakers: Olivia Easterbrooks-Dick, Alison Teasdale

Date Presented 04/13/21 OTs working with children with sensory processing and praxis challenges need fast, valid, and reliable assessments to identify motor planning difficulties. The Motor Planning Maze Assessment (MPMA) is a 5-minute screening for motor planning skills that can help meet this clinical need. Age and gender trend performance on the MPMA was examined in children with sensory processing and integration challenges and typical peers 5–12 years of age, as were group differences. Primary Author and Speaker: Teresa A. May-Benson Additional Authors and Speakers: Maxwell Toepfer, Alicia Noffke, Abigail Bradfield, Jessica Schmidt, and Kristen A. Pickett Contributing Authors: Karla Ausderau, Susan Andreae

Date Presented 04/8/21 Long-term follow up of 64 children with sensory processing challenges found over half scored as typical on an adult sensory history 8–32 years later. Adult anxiety and depression was common, especially in females, and was correlated with the most severe adult sensory processing challenges. This study provides preliminary prognosis information for childhood sensory processing challenges. Primary Author and Speaker: Teresa A. May-Benson Additional Authors and Speakers: Christy S. Horner, Ryan Heuer, Kerri Reid, Kara Reed, Rebecca Denton, and Kristine Ramsey