Sense4Families

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Assessing the outcomes of a Sensory Explorer Group using Parenting Stress Index

• IRAS ID

  201709

• Contact name

  Will Farr

• Contact email

  will.farr@nhs.net

• Sponsor organisation

  Sussex Community NHS Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 3 months, 19 days

• Research summary

  Children with developmental disorders like autism can have problems with limited sensory activity such as restricted eating. This can contribute to a stressful family environment and to parents isolating themselves from local community support. A locally run routine NHS care group from within a child development centre - known as ‘sensory explorers’ - will be assessed to see how parental stress reduces, and whether children increase their sensory activity.
  Children who have been referred to the sensory explorer group by the clinical care team, and are 12 months to 4 years old are eligible. The study will take place within a child development centre. The study will run for 4 weeks for 1 hour per week (with the study aiming to look at 4 groups of 6 children, or 24 children in total). We will assess children and parents at baseline and after a minimum of three sessions using the parenting stress index (PSI) to assess parent and child interaction, a short sensory profile (SSP) to assess the child’s sensory issues, and a goal attainment scale (GAS) which establishes individualised targets for children.

• REC name

  East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  16/EE/0164

• Date of REC Opinion

  24 Jun 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion