Evaluate children’s sensory processing patterns
at home, school, and in the community
Strengths-Based Approach to Assessment and Planning
Winnie Dunn,
PhD, OTR,
FAOTA
Agenda
Sensory Profile 2
What is the Sensory Profile?
History
Theoretical Underpinnings
What’s New
Administration/Scoring
How is it used
Target Populations
Intervention Planning
Healthcare
Education
Appendix
History
Since original 1999 Publication
5 separate assessments
• Sensory Profile (1999)
• Infant Toddler Sensory Profile (2002)
• Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (2002)
• Sensory Profile School Companion (2006)
• Sensory Profile Supplement (2006)
Now 2 assessments
• Sensory Profile 2 (2014)
• Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (2006)
Theoretical Underpinnings
Old New
Sensory Profile 2 Forms
Infant Sensory Profile 2: birth-6 months
Toddler Sensory Profile 2: 7-35 months
Child Sensory Profile 2: 3-14 years
Short Sensory Profile 2: 3-14 years
School Companion Sensory Profile 2: 3-14 years
Scores: Raw Score based cut
scores, percentile ranges, and
descriptive categories for:
1. Sensory Patterns Summary
(Quadrants)
2. Sensory and Behavioral
Sections
3. School Factors (School
Companion only)
The Sensory Profile 2 is:
6. 2.
Family
Contextually
5.
7.
1.
4.Evidence
3.
Strength
Simple
8.
Theory
and
Integrated
Inclusive
Child
to
Based
Based
Relevant
Use
Centered
Sensory Profile 2: What’s New?
1. Updated content
– International Relevance
– No double negatives, improved readability
– Approx. 50% new items
2. Shorter administration time with reduced number of items
(except Toddler Form)
3. Increased validity and reliability studies
4. Greater consistency between forms
5. Infant and Toddler record forms now two separate forms
6. Infant, Toddler, Child, Short, and School Companion
combined in one kit, with one manual
7. Web-based administration and scoring
8. Strengths based
Sensory Profile 2: What’s New?
9. Ability to compare responses across caregivers with
new multi-rater report in Q-global™
10.Percentile ranges added for an additional level of
analysis
11.Expanded upper age range to 14:11 on Child, School
Companion, and Short Forms
12.No longer separate score sheets: Score summary
included on questionnaire
13.Weighting on questions now changed – almost always
now yields 5 instead of 1
Sensory Profile 2: What’s New?
14.Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (11 yrs and
older)
– Self-report
– Available as a separate product
– Not included in the Sensory Profile 2 revision
– Q-global migration with on-screen and remote on-screen
administration
Retained Item Summary
Sensory
Previous
version Profile 2 total Number of Number of
number of number of Number of items items % of items
Form Items Items new items modified retained retained
Infant 36 25 11 9 4 52%
Toddler 48 54 28 18 8 48%
Child 125 86 29 43 14 66%
School 62 44 10 24 10 77%
Short 38 34 25 8 1 27%
Administration and Scoring Updates
Sensory Profile 2: Digital Options
1. Reporting Options in Q-global:
– Score Report
– Item Analysis Report
– Assessment & Planning Report
• To help determine the next steps based on
results
– Multi-rater Report
2. Administration Options in Q-global:
– Ability to administer on-screen in the office or
remotely by sending a link by email through Q-
global
Administration/Scoring Time
• Paper and web-based Administration
– Infant Sensory Profile 2: 5 to 10 minutes
– Toddler Sensory Profile 2: 10 to 15 minutes
– Child Sensory Profile 2: 15 to 20 minutes
– Short Sensory Profile 2: 5 to 10 minutes
– School Companion (SP2): 15 minutes
• Scoring
– Manual Scoring: Approx. 15 minutes
– Web-based administration and scoring: 0 minutes
• Enhanced Assessment and Planning Report adds
approx. 15 to 30 minutes to completion time.
Example Items, Icon Key, & Ratings
How is the Sensory Profile 2 Used?
What are the target
populations?
• Autism Spectrum Disorders
– Can also contribute to DSM–5™ criteria for autism spectrum disorder
i.e. [B.4] manifestation of “hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input
or unusual interest in sensory aspects of environment”
• ADHD
• Developmental Delays
• Anxiety and Mental Health Conditions
• Children presenting with vulnerable conditions
What are the benefits of using
the Sensory Profile 2
SP2 is anchored in Dunn’s
framework
•Focus on activity demands and
contexts – making adjustments to
these to increase participation
•Strengths based
•Strong links with participation
•Strong evidence base across
professional groups
•Age Range birth through adult
Intervention Planning
• Whole chapter on intervention planning to
address the ‘what next’ question
• Whole chapter on case studies to address
different scenarios
• Assessment and planning report’s main function is
to support the clinician to relate findings from the
questionnaire[s] to participation
Intervention Planning
Generally, planning interventions happens after
noticing that a particular pattern of sensory processing
interferes with something the child, parent, and/or
teacher want and need the child to do.
Where are the Sensory Profiles used?
-In the healthcare
Child Development Clinic
•Early intervention assessment Private Practice
•Determine eligibility for services •Referrals from Doctors and
•Pre-school assessments other professional
•Family therapy •Privately paid assessments
•Diagnostic assessment from parents
•Family therapy
•Education, Health and
Care Plans
•Neonatal follow up
•Feeding assessments Mental Health
•Anxiety
Professions •Schizophrenia
•OT/PT •Self Harming
•SLT •Children and adults
•Clinical Psychologists
•Physiotherapists
Where are the Sensory Profiles
used?
-In Education
Pre-school, early childhood Supporting Classroom
services participation
•Pre-school assessments •Identifying environmental
supports
•Facilitating placement decisions
•Supporting engagement
•Determining environmental •Education, Health and Care
supports Plans
Comprehensive
Professions
Assessment •OT/PT
•Cross battery assessment •SLT
•Hypothesis testing •Ed Psych
•Top down assessment •Educators
Further Information…
• Appendix
• Podcasts on website
• Sample Reports
Q-Global scoring
• Email questionnaires
• Manual entry
• Reports available:
– Assessment and planning
– Multi-rater
Pricing
• Sensory Profile 2 Starter Kit
– Manual
– 1 pack of each record form
• £244 (£292.80 inc VAT)
• Q-Global summary report
– £2 (£2.40 inc VAT)
Thank you!
• Questions?
Contact us
Appendix
Normative Information
• 1791 Children for standardization with 337
children rated on both the child and school
forms
• 774 children with disabilities
• Approx. 10% of sample include children with
disabilities
• Data collected both digitally and paper/pencil
Reliability Studies
• Test-retest
– Caregiver .83 - .97
– School .66 - .93
• Inter-rater
– Caregiver mostly in .70s and .80s
– Teacher mostly in .70s, .80s and .90s
Validity Studies
• Previous Sensory Profiles
• BASC-2 PRS and SP2 Child/Short forms
• BASC-2 TRS and SP2 School Form
• SSIS parent and SP2 Child form
• SSIS teacher and SP2 School form
• Vineland-II and SP2 Infant/Toddler/Child Forms
• School Function Assessment and SP2 school form
Clinical Comparison Groups
• Discrimination for clinical groups was key for development
• Infant and Toddler forms have comparison group of children with
developmental delays
• Child and School Companion Forms have comparison groups of children
with:
– Autism
– ADHD
– Dual diagnosis of ADHD/ASD
– LD
– Giftedness
– Intellectual Disabilities
– Down Syndrome
– English as additional language
– Other vulnerable conditions
