Investigating the effects of a parent-involveddevelopmental support program on sensory processing andsleep quality in preschool children

This study aims to examine the effects of a parent-assisted developmental support program applied to preschool children on sensory processing and sleep quality. This experimental study was conducted with the voluntary participation of children aged 36-72 months and their parents, who were receiving training at the KindyROO Florya Parent-Development Academy in Istanbul between December 2023 and May 2024, and those not receiving any institutional training. The study included a total of 40 participants, consisting of two groups training and control groups each with 20 children, who were similar in terms of their developmental processes and their parents' sociodemographic characteristics. All participants were assessed before and after the intervention using the Dunn Sensory Profile Test (DDPT) and the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ). According to the results of our research, participants in the experimental group showed significantly higher scores than the control group in the following parameters at the post-intervention assessment: auditory processing, sensory processing related to endurance, activity, modulation, behavioral outcomes of sensory processing, registration, oral sensitivity, sensory sensitivity, inactivity, and sleep quality (p<0.05). In the experimental group, changes in auditory processing, tactile processing, avoidance, and sensory input seeking were negatively and weakly correlated with changes in sleep quality (p<0.05). The increase in total sleep quality changes in the experimental group indicated a decrease in changes in auditory, tactile processing, avoidance, and sensory input seeking. No significant relationship was observed between changes in the other sub-parameters of the DDPT and total sleep quality changes in both the experimental and control groups (p>0.05). The results of our study suggest that children between the ages of 36-72 months should be included in development support programs with parent participation in order to support their sensory development and improve their sleep quality.