It has surprised me that there is little information and literature written about sensory modulation (as opposed to sensory integration). This is why the concept confused me to begin with as I was unaware of the difference between the two. I wondered if using sensory integration notions would work the same within sensory modulation. Through my experience using these tools with mentally unwell clients I think that they can, if they are used within the right context and at the right level of arousal. Of course you are not going to put an adult client with a mental illness on a scooter board, but our senses are all the same and by understanding how these work and affect our sensory systems, you become aware of how this could impact on ones engagement in life.
On my placement I only learnt how sensory modulation was implemented and the benefits it created to increase client recovery, and was given little theory direction from my colleagues. This made it challenging to define sensory modulation and I was unable to find a definition that was used predominantly within the literature. I have used a reference found in OT-innovations, a website I will be referring to in this blog.
Miller, Reisman, McIntosh & Simon (2001) refer to sensory modulation as, "the capacity to regulate and organize the degree, intensity and nature of responses to sensory input in a graded and adaptive manner. This allows the individual to achieve and maintain an optimal range of performance and to adapt to challenges in daily life" (p. 57).
Sensory modulation is a tool that encourages calm by changing an individual’s sensory experience. We all have five senses (some maybe six!) that help us interact with the world. We all use our senses in different ways, some of us are very aware of our senses, and some hardly even noticing the impact they have. Before I was an occupational therapy student, I myself did not know the impact our senses have on our ability to engage in meaningful life activities. Having experienced using sensory modulation among clients with a mental illness, I see the importance of being conscious of our individual senses, as they influence our performance ability.
Many of the clients I worked with were either over or under aroused, potentially affecting their mental state. Behaviors associated with over-arousal include agitation, anxiety, withdrawal, and difficulty with transitioning from one activity or environment to another. Individuals experiencing under-arousal may appear unengaged or disinterested, or they may engage in activities that increase input (Miller et al, 2007).
Each individual uses different strategies to self-organise in order to achieve and maintain optimal performance and adapt to challenges faced in daily life. Being able to self-organise and change the intensity of sensory input, by grading the response to match the environment demand, can produce optimal performance and hopefully be continuously maintained. The tools and strategies used are very transferable and clients are able to use these in their own home.
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