{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,20]],"date-time":"2026-04-20T11:07:46Z","timestamp":1776683266727,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,20]],"date-time":"2026-04-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776643200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Children"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Occupational therapists often provide sensory integration therapy (SIT) as part of interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, evidence supporting its effectiveness remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the potential benefits of once-weekly SIT for children with ASD and co-occurring intellectual disability. Methods: A non-blinded single-group pre\u2013post study was conducted using SIT once a week for 8 weeks. Participants were children aged 2\u20136 years who had been diagnosed with ASD, had a developmental index score of \u226470, and were classified as having severe autism according to the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Outcome measures included the Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II), Short Sensory Profile (SSP), and Parenting Stress Index, Short Form (PSI-SF). Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare pre- and post-intervention results. Results: Ten children completed the full intervention protocol. Changes were observed in some domains of the GAS and VABS-II; however, these findings were characterized by substantial uncertainty and considerable variability across participants. In contrast, no apparent changes were observed in the SSP or PSI-SF. Conclusions: The findings of this study do not support the effectiveness of sensory integration therapy (SIT) and should not be interpreted as evidence of intervention-related benefit. Rather, the results should be considered as exploratory observations obtained under real-world clinical conditions. Future research employing more rigorous designs, including the use of control groups, larger sample sizes, and blinded assessments, is required.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/children13040569","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,20]],"date-time":"2026-04-20T09:37:42Z","timestamp":1776677862000},"page":"569","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Sensory Integration Therapy for Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-Occurring Intellectual Disability: An Exploratory Single-Group Pre\u2013Post Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-1706-5029","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hirotsugu","family":"Nakamura","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Comprehensive Rehabilitation, Osaka Prefecture University, 2-1-132 Morinomiya, Joto-ku,  Osaka-shi 536-8525, Osaka, Japan"},{"name":"Nishinomiya City Child and Family Center Clinic, 2-77 Takahata-cho, Nishinomiya 663-8202, Hyogo, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7857-7502","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kiyomi","family":"Tateyama","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, 2-1-132 Morinomiya, Joto-ku, Osaka-shi 536-8525, Osaka, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1088-085X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kazuyo","family":"Nakaoka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School of Rehabilitation Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, 2-1-132 Morinomiya, Joto-ku, Osaka-shi 536-8525, Osaka, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1468-5405","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Toshihiro","family":"Kato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate School of Life Health Science, Kansai Medical University, 18-89 Uyamahigasshi-machi, Hirakata 573-1136, Osaka, Japan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"American Psychiatric Association (2014). 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