The impact of sensory processing on executive and cognitive functions in children with autism spectrum disorder in the school context

Background: Theoretical approaches propose a hierarchical organization of sensory and higher-order cognitive processes, in which sensory processing influence some cognitive and executive functions. Aims: The main objective of this study was to analyze whether sensory processing dysfunctions can predict the cognitive and executive dysfunctions evaluated in a group of children with level 2 autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the school context. Methods and procedures: Two groups of children participated: an ASD group (n = 40) and a group of children with typical development (the comparison group, n = 40). The children's sensory processing was evaluated based on their teachers' perceptions, and the children's executive and cognitive functions were evaluated using direct performance measures. Results: In the ASD group, the sensory processing difficulties predicted executive and cognitive dysfunctions in the specific domains of inhibitory control, auditory sustained attention, and short-term verbal memory, after controlling the possible effect of ASD severity. Moreover, the ASD group showed higher levels of sensory, executive, and cognitive dysfunction than the comparison group. Conclusions and implications: Future research should investigate whether adequate sensory interventions in children with ASD in the school context can improve these specific executive and cognitive functions.