What is Sensory Modulation?

"The experience of being human is embedded in the sensory events of our everyday lives" (Dunn, 2001, p. 608).

Miller, Reisman, McIntosh & Simon (2001) refer to sensory modulation as, "the capacity to regulate and organise the degree, intensity and nature of responses to sensory input in a graded and adaptive manner. This allows the individual to achieve and maintain and optimal range of performance and to adapt to challenges in daily life" (p. 57).

Sensory modulation is an intervention tool used to support distressed or agitated service users in mental health settings. It can involve therapeutic brushing, weighted blankets, massage, exercise, or a hot shower to name a few.

In everyday life an individual self-organises and regulates responses to sensory stimuli (whether they are aware of it or not) to adapt to the environmental demand which helps to produce optimal performance. However people with "trauma histories, mental illnesses, or addictions, or who have developed behaviour patters, are sometimes unaware of their particular sensory needs or stress responses" (Champagne & Stromberg, 2004, p. 38). This may decrease a person's ability to regulate the sensory input and result in becoming over reactive or under reactive to stimuli. Sensory modulation can help people to make appropriate adaptive responses.

While on placement I saw first-hand the effect of sensory modulation. For the service users who were over-aroused, anxious and agitated, it helped to calm them down and relax. And for the service users who were under-aroused it helped them to become more engaged in activities.

References:

Champagne, T., Stromberg, N. (2004). Sensory approaches in inpatient psychiatric settings: innovative alternatives. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 42(9), 34-44.

Dunn, W. (2001). The 2001 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture. The sensations of everyday life: empirical, theoretical, and pragmatic considerations. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55(6), 608-620. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Miller, L., Reisman, J., McIntosh, D., & Simon, J. (2001). An ecological model of sensory
modulation. In S. Smith Roley, E. Blanche, & R. Schaaf (Eds.), Understanding
the nature of sensory integration with diverse populations (pp. 57–82).
San Antonio, TX: Therapy Skill Builders.