Your Therapy Source Magazine for Pediatric Therapists August 2016 Issue #86 | Page 3

SENSORY PROCESSING STYLES AND MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness is the ability to live in the moment with an open mind and attention to the
present. In order to live in the moment, one must be able to bring attention and awareness to
all of the sensory, cognitive, and emotional aspects of the current experience. Focused
breathing, meditation and yoga are a few examples of how one can practice mindfulness.
The British Journal of Occupational Therapy published research examining the
relationship between mindfulness and sensory processing styles. Since mindfulness involves
paying attention to the sensory components of daily experiences, it would be expected to vary
across sensory processing styles. For example, sensory styles characterized by reduced
awareness of sensory inputs would be expected to be associated with less mindfulness during
daily experiences. The study included 151 healthy individuals ranging in age from 18-60. Each
participant completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Cognitive and Affective
Mindfulness Scale – Revised (CAMS-R) and the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP).

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