Abstract
Attachment is considered a fundamental aspect of social and emotional development in children. Attachment is established, in part, through sensory processes, yet many children have unique sensory needs. The present study explores the association between sensory processing disorder and attachment by examining primary caregivers' perception of the attachment relationship with their children with SPD. Following a mixed-methods design, 24 self-identified primary caregivers completed 3 questionnaires: a demographic profile, a sensory processing profile, and an attachment-related questionnaire. Of those 24, 12 also completed a semistructured interview. The findings of this study suggest that a correlation exists between sensory processing and attachment measurement scores and specifically with 3 subscales of sensory processing: tactile sensitivity, auditory filtering, and responsiveness to stimuli. This correlation, however, appears to exist despite the fact that none of the children met the full criteria for insecure attachment, according to the attachment measure.