COMPARING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SENSORY INTEGRATION THERAPY AND FINE MOTOR THERAPY ON ENHANCING FINE MOTOR SKILLS IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized by impairments in communication, social interaction, and motor function. Fine motor delays are frequently observed in children with ASD and can significantly interfere with self-care, academic tasks, and daily independence. Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) has emerged as a complementary approach within occupational therapy to address sensory processing issues linked with motor difficulties. Despite its increasing use, there remains limited comparative research assessing the added value of SIT when combined with conventional Fine Motor Therapy (FMT). Objective: To compare the effectiveness of Fine Motor Therapy alone versus Sensory Integration Therapy combined with Fine Motor Therapy in enhancing fine motor skills among children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 42 children aged 3 to 6 years, diagnosed with ASD based on DSM-5 criteria. Participants were selected through systematic probability sampling and randomly assigned to either an experimental group (SIT+FMT, n = 21) or a control group (FMT only, n = 21). Both groups received three therapy sessions per week for eight consecutive weeks. Interventions were administered individually by trained occupational therapists. Fine motor outcomes were assessed pre- and post-intervention using the Fine Motor Skills Checklist. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 27, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Post-intervention, the experimental group showed a 20% improvement in mean fine motor scores (from 138.4 to 165.7), whereas the control group improved by 10% (from 140.2 to 148.3). Statistically significant improvements were observed in tasks such as gripping, cutting, buttoning, and name writing among children in the SIT+FMT group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Integrating Sensory Integration Therapy with Fine Motor Therapy significantly enhances fine motor outcomes in children with ASD compared to motor therapy alone. These findings advocate for incorporating sensory-based strategies into pediatric occupational therapy protocols to better support functional development.