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

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

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.

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.

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.