In recent years, the sensory integration therapy (SIT) is used to treat children with developmental disorders in Japan. The play that is the occupational form with the meaning for children is offered in SIT and its aim is the solution to the problem of children. Often children with developmental disorders have problem on communication with other people. Therefore, we measured changes in the state of communication and interaction skills in children with developmental disorders before and after SIT using the assessment of communication and interaction skills (ACIS).

The participants were 19 boys with developmental disorders from 4 to 6 years old. The intervention frequency was from once a week to once a month and intervention period was six or three months. 10-minutes treatment scene was observed and ACIS was marked by more than three occupational therapists. Statistical analysis was performed Wilcoxon signed-ranks test by using SPSS Statistics Ver.20. This study was carried out with approval of the Tokyo Metropolitan University Arakawa Campus Institutional Review Board (#13075).

As for the ACIS % value before SIT was 80.4%±10.1SD, and the after SIT was 86.1%±8.5SD. There was meaningful improvement (P=0.028). Also, in each area of ACIS, “exchange of information” % value before SIT was 80.4%±10.1SD, and the after SIT was 86.1%±8.5SD. It was meaningful improvement (P=0.041).

It was shown that the meaningful improvement in “ACIS total % value” and “exchange of information % value” at before and after SIT intervention. It was suggest that SIT has potential improved the state of the communication and interaction skills in children with developmental disorders. This study was partially supported by JSPS Grant in Aid for Scientific Research (#26350629).