Sensory processing and social participation in children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review
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Abstract
Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder experience various challenges, in which difficulties in social participation represent a significant area of concern. Research studies indicate that autistic children who experience more challenges in sensory processing tend to demonstrate lower social competence. Therefore, a comprehensive synthesis of the evidence exploring the link between sensory processing and social participation is needed to develop targeted interventions and support strategies to enhance social functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Objective: This systematic review aimed to investigate the impact of sensory processing on social participation in children with ASD aged 3-18 years.
Materials and methods: The review involved a comprehensive search across electronic databases such as Scopus, PubMed, and OTseeker. The McMaster Critical Review Form for Quantitative Studies was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included articles.
Results: A total of 4,158 records were identified through database searches and manual searches. Following the title and abstract review, 10 studies were selected for the full-text review, which led to the inclusion of 8 studies in the systematic review that met the predefined criteria. Among the 8 studies, 7 studies reported a significant correlation between sensory processing and social participation in children with ASD. Specifically, sensory over-responsivity, under-responsivity, and seeking behaviors were found to influence the child’s ability to comprehend, interpret, and respond to social cues effectively, thereby increasing the social challenges commonly associated with ASD.
Conclusion: This systematic review underscores the evident impact of sensory processing difficulties on social participation among children with ASD. It highlights the critical role of sensory processing in facilitating successful social functioning across diverse contexts and emphasizes its importance in enhancing overall social well-being in children with ASD.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Personal views expressed by the contributors in their articles are not necessarily those of the Journal of Associated Medical Sciences, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University.
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