Pilot study on comparison of parent mediated SI therapy versus parent mediated behavioral techniques on sleep in autism spectrum disorder

Aim. To compare the effectiveness of behavioral and sensory integration (SI) techniques on performance and sleep in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methodology. Participants (mean age = 6.2 years; 9 males and 3 females; all diagnosed with ASD according to DSM-5 and functioning at a mild-to-moderate level) were divided into three groups (A, B, and C), each consisting of four participants. Group A received parent-mediated SI interventions, including deep pressure, swinging, brushing, joint compression, and vestibular input activities. Group B received parent-mediated behavioral interventions. Group C served as the control group. Outcomes were measured using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). Results. Group A demonstrated significantly greater improvements in CSHQ and COPM subscales compared to Group B (behavioral therapy) and Group C (control) (p < 0.05). Group A scores for sleep difficulty were consistently lower, while performance and satisfaction scores were higher, reflecting superior outcomes. Pre-to-posttest analysis confirmed that Group A showed significantly better results than Group B (p < 0.05), particularly in sleep onset delay and performance scores. Group C showed no significant changes. One-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey’s test confirmed that Group A outcomes were significantly better than those of Group B and C, with assumptions of normality (Shapiro–Wilk) and homogeneity (Levene’s test) met. Conclusion. Sensory integration therapy was more effective than behavioral therapy in improving sleep habits and occupational performance in children with ASD. The findings highlight the importance of parent-involved sensory-based interventions in pediatric therapy. Further studies with larger samples and longer durations are needed to validate and expand these findings.