Authors: Parham, L.D., Ecker, C.L., Kuhaneck, H., Henry, D.A., & Glennon, T.J.
Year of Publication: 2021 (2nd edition)
Publisher: Western Psychological Services
Type of Assessments:
Standardized
Norm-referenced
Caregiver/teacher report
Rating Questionnaire
Cost: $377
How to Access: https://www.wpspublish.com/spm-2
Age: The preschool age level forms are used for children ages 2-5 yrs who have not yet started an academic kindergarten (transition to the SPM-2 Child form) (when assessing a 24- to 30-month old child who is not attending a formal day care setting outside of home, use the Toddler form)
Diagnoses: Children suspected of sensory processing or integration challenges
Setting: Preschool
Provides a complete picture of sensory integration & processing difficulties in multiple environments & helps clinicians identify a client’s strengths & challenges in sensory integration and processing
Vision (VIS) - measures range of visual processing challenges, including over- and under-reactivity to visual stimulation, excessive seeking of visual input, problems with perception, and ocular-motor difficulties thought to affect the integration of visual with vestibular & proprioceptive info
Hearing (HEA) - measures range of auditory processing challenges, such as over- and under-reactivity, auditory-seeking behavior, and perception problems
Touch (TOU) - measures range of tactile processing challenges, such as over- and under-reactivity to tactile stimulation, tactile-seeking behaviors, & perception
Taste & Smell (T&S) - measures range of taste & smell processing challenges, such as over- and under-reactivity to smells or tastes, active seeking of taste or smell stimuli, & perception of taste or smell sensations
Body Awareness (BOD) - measures a person’s body awareness/proprioception, or a client’s ability to sense precisely both the static position and dynamic body parts
Balance & Motion (BAL) - measures a person’s balance and equilibrium while sitting, standing still, or in motion, over- and under-reactivity to sensations of moving through space
Planning & Ideas (Praxis) (PLN) - measures a person’s praxis or the ability to conceptualize, plan, and organize movements in order to complete unfamiliar motor tasks - not a sensory system but higher-level function that depends on the integration of multiple sensory systems
Social Participation (SOC) - measures a person’s participation in social activities in the home, community, or school addressing the ability to get along with others, aspects of verbal/nonverbal communication, etc.
Time: 20-30 mins
Group/Individual: Individual
Subtests: 80 items - Vision (VIS), Hearing (HEA), Touch (TOU), Taste, + Smell (T&S), Body Awareness (Proprioception)(BOD), Balance and Motion (vestibular processing) (BAL), Sensory total (sum of the six sensory systems), Planning and ideas (praxis) (PLN), Social participation (SOC)
Instructions: Must choose the appropriate form based on the child’s age and environment to determine the type of administration instructions.
Forms will be completed either by the parents or other care providers who live with the child (home form) or child’s main preschool teacher or day care provider (school form).
Raters must have observed the child in their main setting (home or classroom) on a daily or weekly basis for at least one month prior to completing the form.
Forms can be completed in combination to compare responses (school vs. home or home (parent 1) vs. home (parent 2))
Direct the rater to read the instructions on the form and ensure the rater understands the instructions.
Ensure the rater presses firmly so responses transfer to the Scoring Working Sheet.
It is not possible to erase so any changes should be crossed out with an X before circling a new answer
Materials: Manual, AutoScore Form
User Qualifications: Must be able to read at an 8th grade level or have someone who is able to read the form interpret; Must have a Master’s or a Bachelor’s plus additional training in psychology or related field
How to Score:
Scoring is a rating scale based on how frequently behaviors occur: Never, Occasionally, Frequently, or Always
A number is assigned to each rating (1-4), with higher scores representing more problematic behaviors/higher level of difficulties
Raw scores are calculated by summing the circled item scores associated with each scale and enter the total in the corresponding Raw Score box
To calculate the sensory total (ST) raw score, sum the raw scores of the VIS, HEA, TOU, T&S, BOD, & BAL scales and enter the total in the ST Raw Score box (DO NOT include the raw scores for the PLN & SOC scales)
Transfer the raw scores for each scale to the corresponding spaces on the lower half on the Score Summary Sheet then circle the raw score value for each scale within the column and connect the circled values for visual representation
Raw scores are converted into normalized T-scores & percentile ranks (standard scores will enable individual test results to be compared with a reference group) by reading across the row of the circled raw score on the left/right margin
Enter T-scores for each scale in the corresponding space below is raw score
Standard scores are used to calculate the difference score (DIF) to compare sensory functioning across any two forms to reveal whether a child’s behavior at home is different from their behavior at school - provides a starting point for examining sensory integration and processing differences between individuals (e.g. between 2 spouses or a parent & child)
For any missing responses, circle the median score for that item (if a total of 8 or more responses is missing or four or more responses are missing on any single 10-item scale - do not proceed with scoring)
Score Indications:
T-scores ranging from 40-59 = typical functioning; 60-69 = moderate difficulties; 70+ =severe difficulties
Reliability:
Internal consistency = .86
Test-retest consistency = .84
Alternate-forms reliability = .78
Interrater reliability = .66
Validity:
Findings from clinical groups yielded evidence supporting content validity, construct validity, & criterion-related validity
Strengths:
Provides a complete picture of sensory integration & processing difficulties in multiple environments
Consists of different revised forms across five age levels to be developmentally appropriate
High psychometrics
Can be used as a screen or comprehensive diagnostic evaluation
Available in Spanish
Allows for comparisons to be made across multiple contexts (environments, individuals, etc.)
Comprehensive sensory system considerations
Easy to administer - no special materials & takes a reasonable amount of time
Weaknesses:
Subjective reports allow risk of reporter bias or inconsistent perceptions from caregivers/teachers
Limited observational opportunities - must be used in conjunction with other assessments/observations
Limited cultural sensitivity
Parham, L.D., Ecker, C.L., Kuhaneck, H., Henry, D.A., & Glennon, T.J. (2021). Sensory Processing Measure (2nd ed.). Western Psychological Services.
Sensory Processing Measure, second edition and SPM-2 quick tips. (n.d.). Western Psychological Services. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.wpspublish.com/spm-2