The Reliability of Two Sensory Processing Scales Used with School-Age Children: Comparing the Response Consistency of Mothers, Fathers, and Classroom Teachers Rating the Same Child

Abstract

Occupational therapists often use the Sensory Profile and the Sensory Processing Measure to assess the sensory needs of children. Therefore, it is important that the sensory processing scales that therapists use are reliable. The Sensory Processing Measure is a relatively new instrument, published in 2007, whereas the Sensory Profile appeared in 1999. The aim of the study was to investigate the reliability (internal consistency and inter-rater reliability) of the Sensory Profile, the Sensory Profile School Companion (SPSC), and the Home and Main Classroom Forms of the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) in a cross-cultural setting. Parent participants (30 mothers and 30 fathers) each completed the Sensory Profile and the SPM–Home Form on the same child at ages between 5 and 10 years. Nineteen main classroom teachers of the same children then completed the SPSC and the SPM–Main Classroom Form. The internal consistency Cronbach alpha coefficients for the overall Sensory Profile, SPSC, SPM–Home Form, and SPM–Main Classroom Form were 0.97, 0.94, 0.93, and 0.86 respectively. The inter-rater reliability intra-class correlation coefficients for the overall Sensory Profile and SPM–Home Form were 0.48 (p = .48) and 0.63 (p = .005). Overall, the Sensory Profile and the SPM were found to have adequate levels of internal consistency. The Sensory Profile and SPM–Home Form exhibited moderate levels of inter-rater reliability. This study contributes to the evidence base and body of knowledge regarding internal consistency and inter-rater reliability, which previously consisted of the few studies reported in the respective Sensory Profile and SPM test manuals. This study also demonstrates that the Sensory Profile and SPM are reliable when used in a cross-cultural context.