Evaluation of Sensory Processing Using the Sensory Profile Questionnaire

Abstract This chapter reviews the factor analysis of the Sensory Profile, an 81-item caregiver-completed questionnaire that examines a child’s sensory processing patterns. Factor analysis of 1,037 completed questionnaires from children ages 3–10 years without disabilities identified a nine-factor model sorted by the child’s responsivity to sensory experiences, rather than by sensory system. The model accounted for 47.8% of the variance in the factor loadings. The Sensory Profile factors identified in this study are similar to patterns of sensory modulation found in children with disabilities. A case study illustrates use of the Sensory Profile-2, a revised version of the Sensory Profile, in the occupational therapy evaluation process to gather information about a client’s sensory processing–based behaviors and inform intervention planning.