Relationship Between Social Communication, Sensory Processing, and Daily Living Skills in Young Children with Autism.

Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in social communication and sensory processing. This study examined how these challenges affect daily living activities (ADLs) in young children with ASD. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we assessed 60 Bra...

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Publicado en:Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 825 - 842
Autores principales: Ferreira de Oliveira, Karina, Cardoso, Ana Amélia, Pinheiro Silva, Maene, Magalhães, Lívia C.
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Taylor & Francis Ltd 2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: 2026
      vid: 46
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        194726301
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        10.1080/01942638.2025.2608158
        194726301
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        atl: Relationship Between Social Communication, Sensory Processing, and Daily Living Skills in Young Children with Autism.
      aug:
        au:
          Ferreira de Oliveira, Karina
          Cardoso, Ana Amélia
          Pinheiro Silva, Maene
          Magalhães, Lívia C.
        affil: Occupation Studies, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, UFMG, Divinopolis, Brazil
      sug:
        subj:
          Communication
          Activities of Daily Living Evaluation
          Perception
          Autism Spectrum Disorder Physiopathology
          Sensation Disorders Pathology
          Activities of Daily Living Psychosocial Factors
          Human
          Cross Sectional Studies
          Descriptive Research
          Brazil
          Child, Preschool
          Convenience Sample
          Male
          Female
          Interviews
          Chi Square Test
          Post Hoc Analysis
          One-Way Analysis of Variance
          Bivariate Statistics
          Pearson's Correlation Coefficient
          Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient
          Multiple Linear Regression
          Data Analysis Software
          Descriptive Statistics
          Attention Evaluation
          Task Performance and Analysis Evaluation
          Age Factors
          Sex Factors
          Questionnaires
          Clinical Assessment Tools
          Funding Source
          Child, Preschool: 2-5 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Background: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties in social communication and sensory processing. This study examined how these challenges affect daily living activities (ADLs) in young children with ASD. Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, we assessed 60 Brazilian children aged 3–5 years with ASD. The primary outcome, ADL performance, was assessed using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory – Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT/ADL). The Autism Classification System of Functioning: Social Communication (ACSF:SC) and the Sensory Profile, Second Edition (SP2), were employed to examine the influence of social communication abilities and sensory processing on ADL performance. We used correlation and regression analyses to identify interrelationships. Findings: While most children scored within age-expected values on the PEDI-CAT, only a few (8/13.3%) scored within the typical range on the SP2. Regression analysis revealed that while ACSF:SC-performance, age, and gender significantly influenced the PEDI-CAT score (p <.001), sensory processing did not. Conclusion: The importance of social communication for daily activities was reaffirmed. While functional performance declined with age, sensory processing issues did not affect daily function in young children with ASD. Cultural expectations may have influenced parents' ratings of ADLs, especially for girls. Longitudinal cross-cultural studies are needed to clarify gender and sensory processing roles in daily functioning of children with ASD.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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