Overview
The Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (Brown & Dunn, 2002) is a norm-referenced self-report instrument that measures sensory processing patterns and effects on functional performance among adolescents and adults, ages 11 years and up. It elicits information about the adolescent’s or adult’s general responsiveness to various sensory stimuli and identifies processing deficits in the sensory systems that contribute to performance challenges in daily activities. The Adolescent/Sensory Profile consists of 60 items that query frequency of the behavior at home or in the community. Responses are given via a 5-point Likert scale to questions that inquire about Taste/Smell Processing, Movement Processing, Visual Processing, Touch Processing, Activity Level, and Auditory Processing. Items are factored into four quadrants, as described in Dunn’s Model of Sensory Processing (1997): Low Registration, Sensation Seeking, Sensory Sensitivity, and Sensation Avoiding. Scores are generated for an individualized profile of sensory processing across the four quadrants, and these inform development of strategies for intervention to increase managing sensory difficulties in daily life. Quadrant raw scores are compared to norms-based cut score ranges that permit comparison to others. Scores are placed on pattern grids that visually represent how the individual’s sensory processing is compared to that of adolescents or adults, ranging from “Much Less Than Most People” to “Much More Than Most People.”
Summary
Age: 11+ years
Time to Administer: 15-20 minutes
Method of Administration: Norm-referenced self-report questionnaire measuring individuals’ responses to sensory events in daily life
Yields raw scores that are compared to norm-based cut score ranges in four quadrants
Subscales: Quadrant Scores: Low Registration; Sensation Seeking; Sensory Sensitivity; Sensation Avoiding
Sensory Processing Categories: Taste/ Smell Sensitivity; Movement Processing; Visual Processing; Touch Processing; Activity Level; Auditory Processing
Autism Related Research
Van Etten et al. (2017)
Age Range: Teen ages = 13:7-17:9 years; Infant ages = 3-36 months
Sample Size: 33 teens; 65 infants
Topics Addressed:
Prevalence and pattern of unusual sensory behaviors (USBs) in teens with ASD and infants at-risk for ASD
Outcome:Van Etten et al. (2017)
High-risk infants and teenagers with ASD exhibit higher-than-typical prevalence of USBs. Results of our distribution analyses investigating the direction of sensory atypicalities (greater-than-typical vs. less than-typical) revealed a fair degree of consistency amongst teens, however, USB patterns were more varied in high-risk infants.
Conclusion: screening for USBs in high-risk infants is important to facilitate early intervention.
Stewart et al. (2016)
Age Range: 8-18 years
Sample Size: 33
Topics Addressed:
Examine sensory symptoms and profiles in ASD using Adolescent/ Adult Sensory Profile + experimental test of bisensory facilitation
Outcome:Stewart et al. (2016)
ASD participants reported more atypical sensory symptoms overall, most prominently in the auditory modality. On the experimental task, reduced response times for bisensory compared to unisensory trials were seen in both ASD and control groups, but neither group showed significant race model violation (evidence of intermodal integration).
Conclusion: findings do not support impaired bisensory processing for simple nonverbal stimuli in high-functioning children with ASD. IQ and age were related to task performance.
Howe & Stagg (2016)
Age Range: 12-17 years
Sample Size: 16
Topics Addressed:
Investigate sensory issues in school children with ASD
Outcome:Howe & Stagg (2016)
The AASP found that the participants’ mean scores were outside normal parameters. Participants reported difficulties in at least one sensory domain, with hearing affecting them the most. Content analysis revealed sensory sensitivity to affect the participant’s learning and that sensory experiences were largely negative. Sensory issues related to hearing had the most impact on school functioning, while vision affected them least.
Conclusion: schools should consider creating sensory profiles for each student with ASD since the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile results indicated daily difficulties caused by sensory experiences in terms of concentration, anxiety, and discomfort, potentially affecting their ability to learn.