Exploring the Lived Experience of Adults With Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD): A Phenomenological Study

The purpose of this qualitative study involved obtaining and understanding the lived experience of sensory processing disorder (SPD) for adults and the influence on occupations. The study also seeks to address occupational justice needs of this population through obtaining the meaning of their occupational experiences. This underserved population, with respect to research, literature, and practice applications, creates an occupational injustice that requires attention from the profession (May-Benson & Patane, 2010). To best serve this clientele, a depth of understanding about occupational experiences within their developmental and temporal contexts needs to be identified, requiring qualitative methodology to obtain. This study utilized a phenomenological approach with purposive, convenience sampling of adults diagnosed with SPD. Participants were recruited as a result of previously being diagnosed with SPD by the primary investigator, with exclusion criteria including diagnosis of autism and mental health diagnoses (excluding depression or anxiety). Five participants completed the semi-structured interviews, four female and one male, all in young to middle adulthood. The participants completed a semi-structured interview in person or through online videoconferencing and were asked to bring in an object or picture that symbolized their experience of living with SPD, per Colaizzi’s (1973) seven-step method. The researchers then coded the individual interviews using interpretive phenomenological analysis, which emphasizes linguistic, descriptive, and conceptual coding; thematic analysis was then conducted with resulting matrix analysis for final conclusions.

Utilizing the Person, Environment, Occupation (PEO) model (Law et al., 1996), the resulting conclusions of the study include the concept of the paradox of SPD; the extreme experience of increased occupational performance versus decreased occupational participation as an overall theme of living with SPD. The experience of being an adult living with SPD is important to the profession of occupational therapy, as treating children with this diagnosis has been a niche for many years. However, the adult population has been under addressed and there are significant implications of the risk of occupational deprivation and need for occupational justice related to this population. Children with SPD age into adulthood, thus requiring occupational therapists to address the needs throughout the lifespan. Additionally, adults living with SPD seem to have unique experiences related to occupation that require occupational therapists to consider within treatment, considering the person, the environment, and occupation (Engel-Yeger & Dunn, 2011; Kinnealey, Koenig, & Smith, 2011; Engel-Yeger & Rosenblum, 2017). First, the experience of SPD requires significant person-related coping tools, ranging from maladaptive to adaptive, including the use of leisure occupations. Second, the environment serves as both a significant barrier and enabler; social environment can be restricted, limiting social participation while nature serves as a means to relieve symptoms. Finally, occupations provide an extreme, paradoxical experience for the adults with SPD. The experience leads to extremes related to work performance, role competence, and successful role competence relates with preferred occupations. Furthermore, social participation deemed the highest impacted occupation, consistent with evidence (May-Benson, 2009). Avoidance of occupations, or lack of participation, serves as a means of coping as well as evidence of maximized symptomology. Therefore, from an occupational justice perspective, the time to explore the needs of the population to better serve their occupational needs has come.

References

Kinnealey, M., Koenig, K. P., & Smith, S. (2011). Relationships between sensory modulation and social supports and health - related quality of life. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 65(3), 320 - 327. doi:10.5014/ajot.2011.00137

Engel-Yeger, B., & Dunn, W. (2011). The relationship between sensory processing difficulties and anxiety level of healthy adults. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(5), 210 - 216.

Engel-Yeger, B., & Rosenblum, S. (2017). The relationship between sensory - processing patterns and occupational engagement among older persons. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 84 (1), 10 - 21. Doi:10.1177/000841741769041

May-Benson, T., & Patane, S. (2010). Commonalities in sensory processing of adults seeking sensory integration–based occupational therapy services: A qualitative analysis. Watertown, MA: The Spiral Foundation.