Ayelet Ben-Sasson

תחילת דף אינטרנט, לחץ אנטר כדי לעבור לאזור תוכן מרכזי

תפריט ראשי של האתר

The Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences הפקולטה למדעי הרווחה והבריאות | الكلية لعلوم الرفاه والصحة

Dr. Ayelet Ben-Sasson (PhD)

asasson@univ.haifa.ac.il

CV File

Occupational Therapy

Research Areas

Early childhood development
Early screening
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD)
Sensory processing disorders
Anxiety disorders
Digital health and screening
Family accommodations

My research focuses on early child development, sensory modulation, and developmental disorders. I study the efficacy of developmental screening tools for implementation in community settings. I am interested in the potential of screening for ASD early in life and the early noticeable signs. My work in this area spans longitudinal clinical assessments, harnessing crowd wisdom and internet networks using modern technologies. One of my main projects these days is the study of personalized smart systems for screening for ASD. In addition, I investigate the nature of sensory modulation capacities in typical and clinical populations. The interplay between sensory symptoms, anxiety and family accommodation is of great interest to me at the theoretical and practical levels. Research in this area has ramifications for the design of interdisciplinary intervention programs, and aids the discovery of underlying mechanisms.

Journal Publications:

Ben-Sasson,, Ben-Sasson, E., Jacobs, K., & Malinovitch, R. (2020). The relationship between users’ technology approaches and experiences in a child development mobile application. Health and Technology, 1-16. DOI: 10.1007/s12553-020-00457-y.

Podoly, T., & Ben-Sasson, A. (2020). Sensory habituation as a shared mechanism for sensory over-responsivity and obsessive compulsive symptoms. Frontiers of Integrative Neuroscience, 14(17). DOI: 3389/fnint.2020.00017.

Podoly, T., & Ben-Sasson, A. (2020). When it's impossible to ignore: Development and validation of the sensory habituation questionnaire. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(3). DOI: 7403205040p1-7403205040p10.

Gafni-Lachter, L., Josman, N. & Ben-Sasson, A. Evaluating change: using the Measure of Processes of Care-Service Provider (MPOC-SP) as an outcome measure for performance and confidence in family-centered care (2019). Child: Care, Health & Development, 45(4), 592-599. DOI:1111/cch.12668.

Ben-Sasson, A., Fluss, R., $Katz, N., Gal, E., & Cermak, S.A. (2019). Update of a meta-analysis sensory symptoms in ASD: A new decade of research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. DOI:10.1007/s10803-019-04180-0.

Ben-Sasson, A., Robins, D. L., & Yom-Tov, E. (2018). Risk assessment for parents who suspect their child has autism spectrum disorder: Machine learning approach. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(4). DOI:10.2196/jmir.9496.

Ben-Sasson, A., Atun-Einy, O., Yahav-Jonas, G., Lev-On, S., & Gev, T. (2018). Training physical therapists in early ASD screening. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(11), 3926-3938. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3668-9.

Atun-Einy, O., & Ben-Sasson, A. (2018). Pediatric allied healthcare professionals’ knowledge and self-efficacy regarding ASD. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 47, 1-13. DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2017.12.001.

Ben-Sasson, A., & Dickstein, N., Lazarovich, L. & Ayalon, N. (2017). In-Vivo assessment of not just right experiences: Association with OC symptoms and sensory over-responsivity. OTMH, 33(3 217-234). DOI: 10.1080/0164212X.2017.1303418.

Podoly, T.Y., & Ben-Sasson, A. (2016). Sensory over responsivity and obsessive compulsive symptoms: A cluster analysis. Comprehensive Psychiatry 73, 151-159. DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2016.10.013.

Ben-Sasson, A., & Yom-Tov, E. (2016). Online concerns of parents suspecting autism spectrum disorder in their child: Content analysis of signs and automated prediction of risk. JMIR, 18(11), e300. DOI: 10.2196/jmir.5439.

Ben-Sasson, A., Yom-Tov, E., & Pelleg, D. (2016). Does my child have ASD? The clinical quality of online answers and their automated prediction. Proceedings of the 10th AAAI CWSM, 543-546.

Ben-Sasson, A., & Shmeltzer, R. (2015). The interplay between coordinated motor-vocal imitation and development in toddlers. Israeli Journal of Occupational Therapy, 25(1), E8-E23.

Ben-Sasson, A., Soto, T. W., Herble, A., Carter, A. S., Briggs-Gowan, M. (2014). Early markers and concurrent differences of clusters of children with ADHD with and without sensory over-responsivity. Journal of Attention Disorders. 136, e582-e590. DOI: 10.1177/1087054714543495.

Ben-Sasson, A., & Gil, S. V. (2014). Motor and language abilities from early to late toddlerhood: Using formalized assessments to capture continuity and discontinuity in development. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35(7), 1425-1432. DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.03.036.

Ben-Sasson, A., Habib, S., & Tirosh, I. (2014). Feasibility of early screening for the identification of autism traits in a well-baby clinic system. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 29(3), 238-247. DOI:10.1016/j.pedn.2013.11.001.

Ben-Sasson, A., Amit-Ben-Simhon, H., & Meyer, S. (2013). Cross-parent reliability in rating ASD markers in Infants. Journal of Developmental Neurorehabilitation, [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 23924084. DOI:10.3109/17518423.2013.800164.

Ben-Sasson, A., & Carter, A. S. (2013). The contribution of sensory-regulatory markers to the accuracy of ASD screening. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 7(7), 879-888. DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2013.03.006.

Ben-Sasson, A., Soto, T.W., Martinez-Pedraza, F., & Carter, A.S. (2013). Early sensory over-responsivity in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders as a predictor of family impairment and parenting stress. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(8), 846-853. DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12035.

Ben-Sasson, A., Lamash, L., & Gal, E. (2012). To enforce or not to enforce? The use of collaborative interfaces to promote social skills in children with HFASD. Autism: International Journal of Research, 17(5), 608-622. DOI:10.1177/1362361312451526.

Ben-Sasson, A. & Carter, A.S. (2012). The application of the First Year Inventory for ASD screening in Israel. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders , 42(9), 1906-1916. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1436-1.

Carter, A., Ben-Sasson, A., & Briggs-Gowan, M. (2011). Sensory over-responsivity, psychopathology, and family impairment in school-aged children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 50(12), 1212-1219. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2011.09.010.

Green, S.A., Ben-Sasson, A., Soto, T., & Carter, A.S. (2012). Anxiety and sensory over-responsivity in toddlers with autism spectrum disorders: Bidirectional effects across time. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(6), 1112-1119. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1361-3.

Mayer, S., Amit, H., Cohen, M., & Ben-Sasson, A. (2011). Reliability of the First Year Inventory in Israel: Mother versus father perspective. Israeli Journal of Occupational Therapy, 20(2), H75-H92.

Ben-Sasson, A. (2011). Parent search for evidence-based practice: A personal story. Journal of Paediatric and Child Health, 47(7), 415-418. DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2011.02141.x.

Ben-Sasson, A., Carter, A.S., & Briggs-Gowan, M. (2010). The development of sensory over-responsivity from infancy to elementary school. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 38(8), 1193-1202. DOI: 10.1007/s10802-010-9435-9.

Battocchi, A., Gal, E., Ben-Sasson, A., Pianesi, F., Venuti, P., Zancanaro, M., & Weiss, P.L. (2010). The Collaborative Puzzle Game: A tabletop interface for fostering collaborative skills in children with autism spectrum disorders and with typical development. Journal of Assistive Technology, 4(1), 4-13. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5042/jat.2010.0040.

Green, S., & Ben-Sasson, A. (2010). Anxiety disorders and sensory over-responsivity in children with autism spectrum disorders: Is there a causal relationship? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 40(12), 1495-1504. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-010-1007-x.

Ben-Sasson, A., Carter, A. S., & Briggs-Gowan, M. (2009). Sensory over-responsivity in elementary school: Prevalence and social-emotional correlates. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 37(5):705-16. DOI: 10.1007/s10802-008-9295-8.

Ben-Sasson, A., Stimmell, K.E., & Cermak, S.A. (2009). Sequence of gestural representations in children with high functioning autism. Israeli Journal of Occupational Therapy, 18(4), E57-E73.

Battocchi, A., Pianesi, F., Tomasini, D., Zancanaro, M., Esposito, G., Venuti, P., Ben-Sasson, A., Gal, E., & Weiss, P. L. (2009). Collaborative puzzle game: A tabletop interactive game for fostering collaboration in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Proceedings of the ACM International Conference on Interactive Tabletops and Surfaces, Banff, Alberta, Canada (pp. 197-204). DOI: 10.1145/1731903.1731940.

Battocchi, A., Pianesi, F., Venuti, P., Ben-Sasson, A., Gal, E., & Weiss, P. L. (2009). Collaborative puzzle game: Fostering collaboration in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and with typical development. Proceedings of the Virtual Rehabilitation International Conference, Haifa, Israel (pp. 204). DOI: 10.1109/ICVR.2009.5174242.

Ben-Sasson, A., Hen, L., Fluss, R., Cermak, S.A., Engel-Yeger, B., & Gal, E. (2008). Meta-analysis of sensory modulation symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 39, 1-11. DOI: 10.1007/s10803-008-0593-3.

Ben-Sasson, A., Cermak, S.A., Orsmond, G.I., Tager-Flusberg, H., Carter, A.S., & Kadlec, M.B. (2008). Sensory clusters of toddlers with autism spectrum disorders: Differences in internalizing symptoms. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(8), 817-825. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.01899.x.

Battocchi, A., Gal, E., Ben-Sasson, A., Pianesi, F., Venuti, P., Zancanaro, M., & Weiss, P. L. (2008). The Collaborative puzzle game - an interface for studying collaboration and social interaction for children who are typically developed or who have autistic spectrum disorder. Proceeding at the 7th ICDVRAT with ArtAbilitation, Maia, Portugal, University of Reading, UK (pp. 1-8).

Ben-Sasson, A., Cermak, S. A., Orsmond, G. I., Carter, A. S., Kadlec, M. B., & Dunn, W. (2007). Extreme sensory modulation behaviors in toddlers with autism. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 61(5), 584-592. DOI: 10.5014/ajot.61.5.584.

Ben-Sasson, A., Cermak, S. A., Orsmond, G. I., Carter, A. S., & Fogg, L. (2007). Can we differentiate sensory over-responsivity from anxiety in toddlers? Perspectives of occupational therapists and psychologists. Infant Mental Health Journal, 28(5), 536-558. DOI: 10.1002/imhj.20152.

Ben-Sasson, A. (2004). Natural applications of Applied Behavior Analysis for children with autism. Israeli Journal of Occupational Therapy, 13(2), E37-E53.

Edited books and special journal issues:

Shadmy, E., Ben-Sasson, A., Drach-Zehavy, A., Roe, D., & Sachs, D. (2015). The implementation of Evidence Based Practice in Health Care. Pardes Publishing.

Ben-Sasson, A. & Gal, E. (2011). Special Issue on Autism. Israeli Journal of Occupational Therapy, 20(2).

Book Chapters:

Ben-Sasson, A. & Podoly, T. (2014). Anxiety and sensory over-responsivity in autism: Expression, Identification, and Intervention. In S. Lowinger (Ed.) Over the rainbow: Innovations in assessment and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (52 pages, in Hebrew). Ach Publishers.

Gal, E., Cermak, S. A., & Ben-Sasson, A. (2007). Sensory processing disorders of children with autism: Nature, assessment and intervention. In R. Gabriels, & D. Hill (Eds.) Growing up with autism: Working with school age children and adolescents. NY: Guilford Press.