Sensory Processing in Students with Specific Learning Disabilities: Findings and Implications for Assessment and Intervention Planning

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have different sensory processing when compared to students without disabilities. Parents of 240 students ages 5 to 11 years (120 SLD, 120 typical) completed the Sensory Profile. Multivariate analysis of variance MANOVA revealed that students with SLD have significant differences in sensory processing as compared to students without disabilities, but SLD only and SLD with ADHD were not different. Perhaps sensory processing can provide additional information for individualized intervention planning, including who might benefit from a sensory processing approach and who might need other approaches to support their participation.

Keywords:

• SLD
• ADHD
• sensory processing
• sensory seeking
• avoiding
• sensitivity
• Sensory Profile
• heterogeneity
• variability
• learning disability

Acknowledgments

We thank the families for their participation in the study; Tana Brown and Ellen Pope for their guidance; Daryl Mellard for sharing his expertise in learning disabilities; Bruce Frye for statistical analysis and interpretation; and Nancy Ventura in the Kansas City, KS district offices and Heidi Garza in the Olathe Special Education Offices for their assistance with data collection.

Notes

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, Pub. Law No. 108–446, 118 Stat. 2647 (2004).