Criteria for Screening SMD with the Sensory Profile

The time over the holidays is when I typically read everything I can get my hands on as a way of updating my workshop and keeping current in general. I sometimes run across elusive information such as this item.

Here is the criteria that Dr. Miller and her colleagues use to determine whether a child has Sensory Modulation Disorder (SMD). They screen using the Short Sensory Profile and if ...

1. Total Test score of less than 3.0 SD (standard deviations) below the mean; or
2. Less than 2.5 SD below the mean on two or more subtests; or
3. Less than 4.0 SD below the mean on one subtest

.... then the child has SMD.

That leaves it to you to figure out the means using the manual :((( ..... or come back in a few weeks and I'll have it here. :)))

Update, January 9, 2013:  I have not been able to locate published values for 2.5 SD and 4.0 SD of each of the SSP sections. It is a difficult mathematical exercise to produce the numbers without all of the data. So let's estimate some of these numbers for 2.5 SD. I will have to beg off estimating 4 SD at this time - it's a pretty tricky calculation.

The numbers for 1-2 SD and 2-3 SD are on p.66 of the Sensory Profile Manual. By the way, I am going to estimate 2.5 SD somewhat conservatively.

Estimates	2.5 SD	3 SD
Tactile Sensitivity	16	6
Taste/Smell Sensitivity	7	3
Movement Sensitivity	6	2
Underresponsive/Seeks Sensitivity	15	6
Auditory Filtering	12	5
Low Energy/Weak	14	5
Visual/Auditory Sensitivity	10	4
Total Score	89	37

Scoring examples:
1. If a child has a tactile sensitivity score of 16, he is 2.5 standard deviations (SD) below the mean. If he has a score of 2 on movement sensitivity, he is 3 SD below the mean. Since he has 2 scores of 2.5 SD or lower, he qualifies for a diagnosis of SMD.

2. If a girl's total score is 37 or less, she is 3 SD below the norm and qualifies for the SMD diagnoses.

Teresa

Reference:

1.       Miller L. J., Reisman J. E., McIntosh D. N., Simon J. (2001). An ecological model of sensory modulation: performance of children with fragile X syndrome, autistic disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and sensory modulation dysfunction. In Understanding the Nature of Sensory Integration With Diverse Populations, Smith S. Roley, Blanche E. I., Schaaf R. C., editors. , eds (San Antonio, TX, The Psychological Corporation; ), pp. 57–88.