Ali Whitman '22, an Occupational Therapy major, is presenting her research at the 2022 Grimes Undergraduate Research Competition.
Her research title is: Sensory Scouting: An Investigation of Supports for Sensory Needs of Children in Local Businesses
Please describe your research in non-technical language. How did you become interested in your research subject?
Many families with children with sensory needs experience a decrease in community participation as a result of environmental factors not matching the child’s sensory needs. Disengaging from the community may have implications on one’s identity, quality of life, and overall wellness for both the child and the family. I collaborated with an external nonprofit organization, Twenty-One Senses, to collect data on the sensory stimuli of nine local businesses to give these families the resources needed to predict their child’s success in the business. Twenty-One Senses hopes to make the assessment and results accessible to the public as a resource for families with children with sensory needs. I was immediately interested when my advisor, Dr. Sarah Smith, introduced me to the project as I understood the impact that this project could have on communities and families’ participation in the community.
What are the most interesting findings from your research?
Overall, many of the businesses that were assessed had potentially overwhelming stimuli for all assessed senses (movement, visual, auditory, and tactile). Although the assessed businesses were child-oriented, many of the businesses lacked the resources to support children with sensory needs. This impacts the experiences and success of children with sensory needs within the community. Overall, many of the businesses that were assessed had potentially overwhelming stimuli for all assessed senses (movement, visual, auditory, and tactile). Although the assessed businesses were child-oriented, many of the businesses lacked the resources to support children with sensory needs. This impacts the experiences and success of children with sensory needs within the community.
