Anna Jean Ayres

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Anna Jean Ayres (July 18, 1920 – December 16, 1988) was an American occupational therapist and educational psychologist who helped create and develop the idea of sensory integration (SI). Her work focused on how the brain organizes sensory information from the body and environment, and how difficulties in this process can affect learning and movement.

Early life and education
Ayres was born on a walnut farm in Visalia, California. Her parents, Fletcher and Louise Ayres, were school teachers. She earned all her degrees at the University of Southern California: a BA in occupational therapy (1945), an MA in occupational therapy (1954), and a PhD in educational psychology (1961). She did post‑doctoral work at UCLA’s Brain Research Institute (1964–1966) and later taught in USC’s occupational therapy and special education departments (1955–1984).

Development of sensory integration theory
In the 1950s and 1960s Ayres began developing sensory integration theory, building on the work of scientists like Charles Sherrington. She described “sensory integration dysfunction” as problems with how the brain interprets sensory information from the body and the environment. She proposed that these difficulties could affect academic learning and motor skills. To study and classify these issues, she created testing programs that began as the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests (SCSIT) and later became the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT, published in 1989). Ayres also wrote widely on the topic, including the book Sensory Integration and the Child (1979), which aimed to help parents recognize and address sensory problems in children.

Sensory integration therapy
Ayres developed sensory integration therapy as a clinical approach for assessing and treating people with sensory processing disorders, particularly children with learning disabilities and autism. She regarded SI therapy as a specialty within occupational therapy. The method grew popular in some circles, but its effectiveness has been the subject of ongoing debate. Some reviews find little solid evidence of broad benefits, while others note potential positive effects in certain cases, though many studies have methodological limitations.

Ayres Clinic and legacy
In 1976 Ayres founded the Ayres Clinic in Torrance, California, offering occupational therapy assessments and interventions for children and adults with various disorders. Her work helped establish a framework for understanding how sensory processing affects behavior and learning, influencing the field of occupational therapy and the study of developmental disorders. While SI therapy remains controversial, Ayres is remembered as a pioneer who contributed to early discussions about evidence-based practice in her field.

Death
Ayres died on December 16, 1988, in Los Angeles from complications related to breast cancer.

Selected ideas and works
- Sensory Integration and the Child (book, 1979)
- Southern California Sensory Integration Tests (SCSIT) and the later Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT, 1989)
- Key articles on sensory integration dysfunction and its relation to learning and motor skills
- Numerous other books and journal articles advancing the theory and practice of sensory integration

See also
- Occupational therapy
- Sensory processing disorder
- Sensory integration