Assessments of sensory processing in infants: a systematic review
Abstract
Aim The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties and clinical use of assessments of sensory processing function, within the first 2 years of life, and to identify which assessment is the most appropriate and precise in measuring the construct of sensory processing. Method The literature was comprehensively searched, and assessments used to measure sensory processing in infancy were systematically selected and reviewed for clinical use, reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Results Thirty‐four assessments were identified; three met the predefined inclusion criteria. All discriminative assessments, the Sensory Rating Scale, and Infant/Toddler Sensory Profile are parent‐reported questionnaires and can be administered from birth up to 3 years of age. The Test of Sensory Function in Infants is a performance‐based assessment and is suitable for infants aged 4 to 18 months. Studies evaluating the psychometric properties of these three assessments differed in the properties addressed and reported poor to adequate reliability. Interpretation Selecting the most appropriate and precise assessment to measure sensory processing function in infancy will depend on the specific components of sensory processing that need to be evaluated, infant age, and what other sources of information are available about the infant’s development.
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There are few standardized objective measures of sensory processing in infants and children.
“There are few standardized objective measures of sensory processing in infants and children [34].”
From Sensory processing in preterm preschoolers and its association with executive function (2015) · cites this paper as [34]
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Sensory processing in preterm preschoolers and its association with executive function
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- Authors
- EELES, A. L., SPITTLE, A. J., ANDERSON, P. J., BROWN, N., LEE, K. J., BOYD, R. N., & DOYLE, L. W.
- Affiliations
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute (AU)
- Royal Women's Hospital (AU)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Corresponding author
- EELES, ABBEY L
- ORCID
- Venue
- Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-11-15
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 314-326
- ISSN
- 0012-1622 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8749
- OpenAlex
- W2078955274
- Cited by
- 99
- References
- 46
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 0.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide) (submittedVersion)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Infant Development and Preterm Care
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Cerebral Palsy and Movement Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Keywords
- sensory processing, infants, psychometric properties, reliability statistics, validity, responsiveness, parent questionnaires, performance-based assessment, infant development
- MeSH terms
- Child Behavior, Child Development, Developmental Disabilities, Child, Preschool, Fathers, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Mothers, Motor Skills, Neuropsychological Tests, Parents, Psychometrics, Psychomotor Performance, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sensation, Reproducibility of Results, Observer Variation, Infant Behavior, Motor Skills Disorders
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