Objectives: Practitioners work with children presenting with sensory processing difficulties. There is limited evidence about the relationship between children’s sensory processing and their executive functioning. This study investigated the relationship between children’s sensory processing and executive functioning.
Methods: Forty parents/guardians of typically developing children (M = 7.42 years [89.05 months; SD = 11.13]; 50% female) from Australia completed the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (BRIEF2). Scores were analysed using Spearman rho correlations with bootstrapping.
Results: Some SPM subscales were found to be significantly correlated with the four BRIEF2 composite scales: the Behavior Regulation Index (BRI; rs = .31 - .38, p < .05), Emotion Regulation Index (ERI; rs = .34 - .59, p < .05), Cognitive Regulation Index (CRI; rs = .32 - .45, p < .05) and Global Executive Composite (GEC; rs = .32 - .45; p < .05). The SPM subscales were also found to be predictive of the BRIEF2 composite scales: ERI regression model (Adj R 2 = .27, p < .005), CRI regression model (Adj R 2 = .34, p < .001) and GEC regression model (Adj R 2 = .37, p < .001).
Discussion: This study provides preliminary evidence that children’s sensory processing factors impact their executive functioning since they appear to be significantly associated. This information can be used to inform occupational therapists’ goal setting and intervention provision with children and their families.

Abstract
Ⅰ. Introduction
Ⅱ. Literature Review
    1. Sensory processing
    2. Executive functioning in children
    3. Occupational performance in children
    4. Purpose
Ⅲ. Methods
    1. Design
    2. Participants
    3. Instrumentation
    4. Procedure
    5. Data analysis
Ⅳ. Results
    1. Participant demographics and scale scores
    2. Correlations between sensory processingand the behaviour, emotion and cognitiveregulation aspects of executive functioning
Ⅴ. Discussion
    1. Correlations between sensory processingsubscales and executive functioningindices
    2. Regression analysis between the SPMsubscales and BRIEF2 CognitiveRegulation Index
    3. Regression analysis between the SPMsubscales and BRIEF2 EmotionRegulation Index
    4. Regression analysis between the SPMsubscales and BRIEF2 BehaviorRegulation Index
    5. Regression analysis between the SPMsubscales and BRIEF2 Global ExecutiveComposite Index
    6. Limitations
    7. Future research
Ⅵ. Conclusion
References

• Ted Brown(Dept. of Occupational Therapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University) Corresponding author
• Emma Swayn(Darwin Private Hospital)
• Carissa Lyons(Dept. of Occupational Therapy School of Primary and Allied Health Care Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University)
• Eli Chu(Dept. of Occupational Therapy School of Primary and Allied Health Care Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University)
• Julia Taylor(Dept. of Occupational Therapy School of Primary and Allied Health Care Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University)