Module II: Intervention of Sensory and Motor Problems in Aspergers Syndrome

Part III: Test Measures and Test Accommodations

Formal Tests and Measures

With respect to sensory integration problems, therapists may chose to use the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test or SIPT. The SIPT is the most comprehensive test battery of sensory integration and praxis in children and is a nationally standardized tool for children, four to nine years of age. Within the field of occupational therapy, it is the one of the most complex and sophisticated tests available to therapists¹¹. (Praxis is the term used that includes motor planning problems. As mentioned, this will be covered more fully in Module III.)

An occupational therapist who is certified in sensory integration has received advanced training in the sensory integration frame of reference, including administration and interpretation of the SIPT.

However, due to the level of detail, extensive training required and expense, using the SIPT as an assessment tool can be impractical in many settings. Occupational therapists in settings such as public schools often do not use the SIPT for these reasons. Using this test outside of North America is also impractical because norms have not been established outside this region. Therefore, practitioners in these settings should use their knowledge of sensory integration theory, clinical observations of sensory processing and praxis skills, interviews and highly developed assessment skills ¹¹.

To learn more about the SIPT and certification requirements, refer to Western Psychological Services¹² who are the publishers of the test.

One of the most recently developed formal assessment for sensory integration dysfunction is the Sensory Profile. This is a questionnaire that asks teachers/parents to describe the child’s behavior in a variety of situations. This is a questionnaire that has norms so that the responses to the questions can be compared to parents’ responses of typical children. This is an extremely important way of looking at a child’s sensory and motor behaviors compared to a typical population of children. (Click to www.SensoryProfile.com. for more information)

With respect to motor assessments, the two most common tools used are the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. The Peabody Developmental Motor Scales is a test that is used in early intervention and preschool programs and helps to assess levels of fine motor, perceptual motor and gross motor functioning. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency is used in elementary schools and middle schools to assess gross motor, fine motor, visual motor, motor planning, bimanual coordination and physical endurance.

There are other assessment tools that an evaluator might chose from given a child’s specific presenting problem¹¹. However, it should be noted that if some of these assessments were not developed to assess underlying components of sensory integration and praxis problems, results of these tests should be used cautiously.

It is also important to remember that the use of any formal testing should be considered with caution, especially when testing people on the Autistic spectrum. Use of certain formal tests might not directly relate to the individual’s daily functional world, and therefore people with autism might not be able to demonstrate their optimal abilities. Also, if the individual is unable to comply with formalized measures of testing, reliance on informal testing procedures should be done¹³.

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