Dr. Roseann Schaaf Receives Autism Speaks Treatment Award

Roseann C. Schaaf, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Associate Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Thomas Jefferson University’s Jefferson College of Health Professions (JCHP), was granted a 2008 Treatment Award from Autism Speaks, the leading nonprofit association dedicated to autism.  This three-year, $450,000 grant will fund research to assess the effect of sensory integration techniques on the adaptive behaviors of children with autism.

The study will evaluate whether occupational therapy effectively reduces sensory dysfunction in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD.)  Children with ASD have unusual responses to sensory stimuli.  They may be overly sensitive to sensation or feel constantly bombarded with information, and thus respond to stimuli too easily or too intensely.  As a result, many children with ASD try to avoid or minimize sensations by avoiding touch, covering their ears with their hands, or by being selective about the textures of food. 

The valuable data obtained from the study — a collaboration between Dr. Schaaf and Zoe Mailloux of JCHP and Donna Kelly, MS, OTR/L, of Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Jersey — may provide evidence about the effectiveness of occupational therapy for children with ASD.  During the course of the study, measures of sensory behaviors and adaptive behaviors are obtained to determine if these improve as a result of occupational therapy intervention.  It is expected that the intervention will decrease maladaptive sensory behaviors, improve adaptive behaviors and enhance the family and child’s ability to participate in home, school and community activities.

Dr. Schaaf’s proposal is partly based on the work of the Sensory Integration Research Collaborative (SIRC), a group of researchers and expert clinicians whose mission is to forward research in sensory integration and occupational therapy The SIRC members include Dr. Janice Burke, Dean of Jefferson School of Health Professions and Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy, Teal Benevides, Dr. Erna Blanche, Stephanie Bodison, Dr. Ellen Cohn, Dr. Barbara Brett Green, Dr. Jane Koomar, Dr. Shelly Lane, Dr. Theresa May Benson, Zoe Mailloux, Dr. Lucy Jane Miller, Dr. Diane Parham, Dr. Stacey Reynolds, Dr. Sarah Schoen and Susanne Smith Roley.

“This research is significant in that it will provide much needed information about strategies to address sensory dysfunction and improve participation for families and children affected by ASD.  Our hope is that through better identification and treatment of sensory dysfunction, we can help parents and children with ASD lead fulfilling and productive lives.  I’d like to give special thanks to Dr. Janice Burke, who steadfastly supports sensory integration research, and Teal Benevides, who has been instrumental in her involvement in writing the grant proposal and implementing the project,” says Dr. Schaaf.

Contact:
Jacqueline Paquet                     
215-503-1918
jacqueline.paquet@jefferson.edu

Published: 9-12-2008