ASI

OT Dude Academy’s Free NBCOT® Exam Prep Course Theories & Models ASI

The goal of ASI is to improve an individual’s ability to process and integrate sensory information, and to support their participation in daily activities and roles. ASI is commonly used to treat individuals with sensory processing difficulties, including those with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder, as well as individuals with developmental delays or neurological conditions.

Contents Hide
1 Theory
2 Definitions and Terms
3 Evaluation and Assessment
4 Fidelity in SI Intervention

Theory

  • It is important to distinguish Ayres Sensory Integration (ASI) from general sensory-based approaches. These are NOT the same!
  • Review the differences here (this also provides a good review of ASI).

Hypothesis:

  1. Perceptual awareness supports and facilitates occupational engagement.
  2. Motor learning is influenced by, if not dependent on, incoming sensation.
  3. Body awareness creates a postural model to understand visual-motor development.
  4. Postural control is essential for skilled academic and motor performance.
  5. Tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual systems provide key data in the development of reading and writing.
  6. The ability to focus and maintain attention and to keep a steady level of activity, and the way in which the nervous system responds to tactile sensation, are related
  7. The sensory systems develop in an integrated and dependent manner.
  8. Visual and auditory processing depends on foundational body-centered senses.1 2 3 

Definitions and Terms

  • Adaptive response: the ability of the body’s sensory systems to effectively process and respond to incoming sensory information. occurs when an individual’s sensory systems successfully (or unsuccessfully) integrate and organize sensory information, allowing them to respond appropriately to their environment. Requires the integration of sensory information from multiple sensory systems, including the tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory, and visual systems.
  • Facilitation: the use of activities and strategies that can help to enhance an individual’s sensory processing abilities. These activities and strategies are designed to provide sensory input in a controlled and graded manner, with the goal of helping the individual better organize and integrate sensory information from their environment; depending on the individual’s specific sensory needs and challenges.
  • Atypical response: an abnormal or unusual response to sensory stimuli, which may result in difficulties with processing and integrating sensory information. Can manifest in a variety of ways, depending on the individual and their specific sensory challenges, e.g., hypersensitivity, hypersensitivity, sensory discrimination difficulty, sensory-seeking, and sensory-avoiding.
  • Somatodyspraxia: sensory processing difficulty that affects an individual’s ability to plan and execute coordinated movements.
  • Constructional dyspraxia: affects an individual’s ability to visually perceive and manipulate spatial relationships, e.g., cutting, puzzles
  • Visuodyspraxia: affects an individual’s ability to visually perceive and plan motor movements, e.g., copying and drawing shapes
  • Bilateral integration: the ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated and efficient manner, e.g., handwriting, dressing, sports and games.
  • Just-right challenge

Evaluation and Assessment

  • Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT): gold standard
  • Sensory Processing Measure: parent, teacher, self-report
  • Sensory Profile: parent, teacher, self-report4 

Fidelity in SI Intervention

  1. Delivered by a qualified professional.
  2. Family-centered plan based on complete evaluation and interpretation of dysfunction.
  3. Adheres to ethical and professional standards of practice.
  4. Safe environment and equipment
  5. Rich activities in sensation.
  6. Activities promote regulation of affect and alertness.
  7. Activities promote optimal postural control through space; praxis.
  8. Opportunities to achieve adaptive responses.
  9. Intrinsic motivation of activities.
  10. Therapist builds trust.
  11. Activities are their own reward.1 2 3 5 
  1. Smith Roley, S., Mailloux, Z., Miller-Kuhaneck, H., & Glennon, T. J. (2007). Understanding Ayres’ sensory integration.[↩][↩]
  2. Ayres, A. J. (1972). Sensory integration and learning disorders. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services. Ayres, A. J. (1989). Sensory integration and praxis tests. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services.[↩][↩]
  3. Bundy, A. C., Lane, S. J., & Murray, E. A. (2002) Sensory integration: Theory and practice. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.[↩][↩]
  4. Schaaf, R. C., & Nightlinger, K. M. (2007). Occupational therapy using a sensory integrative approach: A case study of effectiveness. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61(2), 239-246.[↩]
  5. Cermak, S. A., & Henderson, A. (1990). The efficacy of sensory integration procedures. Sensory Integration Quarterly, 18(1), 1-5.[↩]
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