Characteristics and Prevalence of Gravitational Insecurity in Children with Sensory Processing Dysfunction.

Background: Children with sensory processing challenges often demonstrate a specific vestibular dysfunction characterized by an irrational fear of movement experiences referred to as gravitational insecurity.

Procedures/outcomes: This descriptive, exploratory study of existing de-identified data examined characteristics and prevalence of symptoms indicative of gravitational insecurity and the relationship among gravitational insecurity, gender, age, and other types of sensory-motor problems in 689 children, aged 4-12 years, with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and related parent-reported co-morbid diagnoses of Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Learning Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Gravitational insecurity was identified by the sum of eight items on a parent-report clinical questionnaire of sensory processing and motor skills in children.

Results/conclusions: The number and patterns of gravitational insecurity symptoms were not significantly different across age, gender or comorbid diagnoses. Prevalence of symptoms of gravitational insecurity in a clinical population of children with SPD was 15 - 21%. Cluster analysis found two groups with and without gravitational insecurity. In the gravitational insecurity group all eight items examined occurred "sometimes/often" and four or more symptoms were reported by individuals in this group.

Implications: Gravitational insecurity is an important vestibular-based dysfunction to identify and treat in children with SPD. Future studies should examine the relationship between these symptoms and objective measures of gravitational insecurity.