Abstract

Background: Kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder often struggle with sensory processing, and that can really get in the way of daily life—things like playing, getting dressed, or socializing (Dunn & Little, 2023). Occupational therapy that uses sensory integration approaches (basically, following the Ayres Sensory Integration® model) is a go-to treatment for these challenges (Ayres, 2005). This review looked at studies from 2015 to 2026 to see if this type of therapy really works for kids with autism, especially when it comes to self-regulation, motor skills, and becoming more independent (Watling & Hauer, 2022). The research team dug into recent randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and even neuroimaging studies (Chang et al., 2024). They focused on studies that used the ASI® Fidelity Measure to make sure the therapy was done properly (Parham et al., 2021). So, what did they find? When therapists stick closely to the original sensory integration method, kids show actual brain changes in regions like the cerebellum and thalamus—that’s real neuroplasticity (Ghaziri et al., 2024). On a practical level, kids scored higher on Goal Attainment Scaling and had fewer sensory-related meltdowns (Schaaf & Dumont, 2025). Plus, using tech—like virtual reality or wearable biofeedback—made the sensory treatments more precise (Zhou et al., 2024). Bottom line: Sensory integration–based occupational therapy is still the backbone of autism treatment when it comes to managing sensory processing issues (Bundy & Lane, 2024). Sure, there are still problems with things like how often therapy should happen and making it accessible for everyone, but moving toward more collaborative, coaching-style methods holds a lot of promise (Smith & Moir, 2025). We still need more long-term studies and research linking therapy to actual biological markers, but the evidence so far is pretty encouraging (Pfeiffer et al., 2026). Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Occupational Therapy; Sensory Integration (SI); Ayres Sensory Integration® (ASI); Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD); Neuroplasticity; Self-Regulation; Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS); Transdisciplinary Collaboration; Pediatric Rehabilitation.