The use of sensory integration therapy in Malaysia and Singapore by special education teachers in early intervention settings

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

About the autistic author marker

Leong, H. M., Stephenson, J., & Carter, M. (2013). The use of sensory integration therapy in Malaysia and Singapore by special education teachers in early intervention settings. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 39(1), 10-23. https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2013.854876

Publication date: 14 Nov 2013 Added to AutiHub: 19 Oct 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)

Abstract

Background Sensory integration (SI) therapy is an intervention widely used with children with disability despite the lack of evidence regarding its efficacy.Method A questionnaire was distributed to early intervention teachers in Malaysia and Singapore. Information was sought on how early intervention teachers learned about SI therapy, the forms of SI therapy they used, and the benefits they expected.Results Many activities reported as SI therapy were common early intervention activities. Teachers appeared to be particularly interested in SI therapy as an intervention for challenging behaviours related to sensory stimuli but had difficulty explaining how the therapy resulted in the benefits they perceived. Teachers also reported limited monitoring of student outcomes when using SI therapy.Conclusions In light of the very weak evidence for the efficacy of SI therapy, but noting that the intervention continues to be used, it is recommended that good monitoring practices are maintained by teachers. The intervention should be discontinued where clear progress is not evident. Teachers and therapists need additional training in evidence-based practices. Further, alternative intervention strategies should be considered for challenging behaviours related to sensory stimuli.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 23 Oct 2026 01:01.

Cited references
70
With a DOI
59
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
8
4 / 70 (5.7%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
2 / 70 (2.9%)
References with detected author names
70 / 70 (100.0%)
Without detected author names
0
Without a structured title
2
Without a stable identifier
7
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
203
From DOI or external metadata
203
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
0
38 / 203 (18.7%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 165 / 203 (81.3%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
4 / 203 (2.0%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 4 / 38 (10.5%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 1 / 164 (0.6%).
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