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Sensory Processing Assessment and Feedback in the Treatment of Complex Developmental Trauma

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Abstract

This study explored the impact of a sensory processing assessment, recommendations and feedback process on the functioning at school and after-hours environments of children who had been traumatised by abuse. A mixed methods design (Schoonenboom & Johnson, 2017) was utilized incorporating pre (12 months prior) and post (four to eight months after the report) repeated child focused measure, alongside thematic analysis of participants qualitative survey feedback. The methodology included two stages: firstly, an occupational therapy assessment of young people referred by Own Organisation clinicians for a sensory processing assessment and secondly, an evaluation was conducted of the impact of occupational therapy on the young person’s behaviour and their carers. The study found significant improvement in family life and relationships as well as a reduction in impairment as evidenced by decreases in HoNOSCA scores across problems with family life and relationships, non-accidental self-injury, problems with emotional and related symptoms, poor school attendance and on the social subscale. These findings were supported by clinician participant reports. A sensory processing assessment provided young people, their carers and teachers with information which contributed to environmental adaptations. These environmental adaptations were associated with improved functioning and behaviour of young people impacted by child abuse. It is recommended future research attempt to replicate and extend our understanding of how sensory processing assessments and interventions can increase children’s wellbeing.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the young people, carers, school staff and clinicians that supported this research. We would also like to thank Dallas Ambry, Jenny Barlett, Clancy Browne and Tiffany Lewis for their contributions to this paper.

Funding

This research was funded by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH), Victoria, Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Take Two, Berry Street Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    A. Cox & T. Heron

  2. School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    M. Frederico

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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by Toni Heron and Allison Cox. Data Analysis was conducted by Tiffany Lewis and Allison Cox. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Margarita Frederico, Toni Heron and Allison Cox. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to A. Cox.

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Ethics Approval

Ethics approval was provided by La Trobe University Human Research Ethics Committee, ethics approval number HEC04. The procedures used in this study adhere to the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants or from legal guardians for young people aged under 15 years, included in the study.

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Cox, A., Heron, T. & Frederico, M. Sensory Processing Assessment and Feedback in the Treatment of Complex Developmental Trauma. Journ Child Adol Trauma (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-023-00607-0

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