Graduation Year
2025
Document Type
Capstone Project
Project Type
Quantitative Study
Degree Name
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Program
Occupational Therapy
Program Chair
Gina Tucker-Roghi, OTD, OTR/L, BCG
Faculty Advisor
Julia Wilbarger, PhD, OTR/L
Abstract
This study adds to the available literature on the relationship between executive functions (EF) and sensory processing (SP), and their combined effect on occupational participation (OP) in children aged 5-12 years. Understanding the nature of this relationship holds the key to identifying factors shaping a child's ability to engage effectively in daily life activities. The research team hypothesized that children with stronger EF and more efficient SP will demonstrate higher levels of OP, while those with challenges in either or both domains may experience limitations to effectively engage in daily activities. Participants consisted of parents of 26 children aged 5 to 12, initially recruited from after-school programs, community-based recreational activities, and local clinics in the Bay Area. However, the final data set included responses from only 6 participants. Recruitment strategies included word of mouth, flyers, social media outreach, and email invitations. Efforts were made to ensure the sample was diverse, considering characteristics such as age, sex, race, and living status. Data collection tools included the following three evidence-based measures: Sensory Processing Measures-2nd edition (SPM-2), Behavioral Executive Function Inventory-2nd edition (BRIEF-2), and Participation and Environment Measure Children and Youth (PEM-CY). A series of bi-variate correlation were conducted in SPSS, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) (Version 26) to understand the relationships between EF, SP and OP. A strong positive correlation was found between SP and EF: (r =.90, p r = -0.90, p = .1), indicating that poorer the sensory processing, the lower the school participation. Correlations between SP and PEMCY Community participation showed a weak negative correlation (r = -0.03), while PEMCY Home participation was positively associated (r =.42), however, these correlations are not statistically significant. There were moderate negative associations between EF and participation in school (r = -0.50), and community (r = -0.58), indicating lower EF was associated with less participation in these settings. A marginal positive association was observed between EF and participation at home (r =.20). These correlations were also not statistically significant. This study demonstrates how SP, EF and OP are interconnected and influence children's involvement in everyday activities across various settings. Future research should aim to include larger and more representative samples to ensure reliable findings. Using standardized tools to measure EF and SP, examining how certain EF skills influence school participation, and offering bilingual resources can make future studies clearer and more inclusive.