Occupational Therapy Using Sensory Integration to Improve Participation of a Child With Autism: A Case Report Roseann C. Schaaf, Joanne Hunt, Teal Benevides KEY WORDS  activities of daily living  adaptation, psychological  autistic disorder  interpersonal relations  occupational therapy  sensation disorders Roseann C. Schaaf, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy, Jefferson School of Health Professions, and Faculty, Farber Institute for Neurosciences, Thomas Jefferson University, 130 South 9th Street, Edison 810, Philadelphia, PA 19107; roseann.schaaf@jefferson.edu Joanne Hunt, OTR/L, is Occupational Therapist, Children’s Specialized Hospital, Mountainside, NJ. Teal Benevides, MS, OTR/L, is Assistant Professor, Sensory Integration Lab Coordinator, Department of Occupational Therapy, Jefferson School of Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia. In this case report, we describe the changes in adaptive behaviors and participation of 1 child with autism during a 10-wk program of intensive occupational therapy using a sensory integrative approach (OT–SI) following a manualized protocol. This case is part of a larger study examining the efficacy of the OT–SI approach. We found improvement in sensory processing, as measured by the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests, as well as enhanced participation in home, school, and family activities, as indicated on parent-rated goal attainment scales. Schaaf, R. C., Hunt, J., & Benevides, T. (2012). Occupational therapy using sensory integration to improve participation of a child with autism: A case report. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66, 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ ajot.2012.004473 A utism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of developmental disorders characterized by social impairment, verbal and nonverbal communication difficulties, restricted interests, and repetitive and stereotypical behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). In addition to the core features, people with ASD often present with difficulty processing and integrating sen- sory information (Baranek, David, Poe, Stone, & Watson, 2006; Mailloux & Smith Roley, 2010) that has an impact on their adaptive behavior and par- ticipation in daily activities. Thus, occupational therapists often use a sensory integrative approach as part of their intervention strategy. However, more evidence for using occupational therapy with a sensory in- tegrative approach for people with ASD is needed (May-Benson & Koomar, 2010), including systematic case reports and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Schaaf (2010) reviewed seven studies (published from 1980 to 2008) that used a sensory integrative approach and concluded that although the studies provided promising evidence, design and methodological flaws (small sample sizes, inadequate char- acterization of the sample, lack of an intervention protocol with a fidelity measure and sensitive outcome measures) suggested that caution should be taken with re- gard to practice implications. Two RCTs (Miller, Coll, & Schoen, 2007; 1 Pfeiffer, Koenig, Kinnealey, Sheppard, & Henderson, 2011) that included the use of a fi- delity measure and specific outcome measures showed positive outcomes of sensory integrative intervention. In this case report, we describe a child with an ASD and difficulty in sensory processing and the changes after 10 wk of occupational therapy using a sensory integrative approach (OT–SI). 1 Miller et al. (2007) studied children with sensory processing disorders but not autism. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 1