Statistics and Research

SAS is an international organisation dedicated to researching, developing and providing effective neuro-sensory intervention techniques that strengthen sensory processing, language, memory and understanding and that enhance physical abilities, speech, reading and writing and that improve behaviour, social skills and emotional well-being.

Our methodology is firmly based on scientifically proven principles and we gather data on the effectiveness of our courses through six distinct routes:

• Pre and post course assessment test results;
• Observations by trained staff during the assessment and course delivery stages;
• Anecdotal feedback by clients, parents, caretakers or teachers, both during and post courses;
• Standardised post-course feedback forms from clients;
• Independent feedback from educational and medical establishments involved in SAS research projects;
• Independent research by recognised academic establishments such as Teaching Hospitals and Universities.

Quick Links:

• Client Statistics
• Client Feedback
• Research - Reading and Writing - University, Izmir, Turkey
• Research - Emotional Well-Being (1) - University, The Netherlands
• Research - Emotional Well-Being (2) - University, The Netherlands
• Research - Autism - University, Ankara, Turkey
• Research - Auditory Processing - University, Ankara, Turkey
• Research - Learning Enhancement - Primary School, U.K.
• Research - Autism/ADHD - Special Needs Secondary School, U.K.

SAS | Client Statistics | November 2023

SAS | Client Feedback

All Conditions:

Learning Enhancement:

Male: 60.0 % - Female: 40.0 %
Age 0 to 6: 10.3 % - Age 7 to 11: 55.2 % - Age 12 to 17: 24.8 % - Age 18+: 9.7 %

Emotional Well-Being & Social Skills:

Male: 54.0 % - Female: 46.0 %
Age 0 to 6: 19.5 % - Age 7 to 11: 37.9 % - Age 12 to 17: 24.1 % - Age 18+: 18.4 %

Attention Deficit - Hyperactivity - ADHD:

Male: 69.5 % - Female: 30.5 %
Age 0 to 6: 7.4 % - Age 7 to 11: 54.1 % - Age 12 to 17: 30.3 % - Age 18+: 8.2 %

Reading - Writing - Dyslexia:

Male: 59.3 % - Female: 40.7 %
Age 0 to 6: 11.3 % - Age 7 to 11: 54.0 % - Age 12 to 17: 27.3 % - Age 18+: 7.3 %

Speech & Language:

Male: 69.2 % - Female: 30.8 %
Age 0 to 6: 29.9 % - Age 7 to 11: 43.6 % - Age 12 to 17: 17.9 % - Age 18+: 8.5 %

Autistic Spectrum Disorder - Developmental Delay:

Male: 71.2 % - Female: 28.8 %
Age 0 to 6: 30.9 % - Age 7 to 11: 41.0 % - Age 12 to 17: 23.0 % - Age 18+: 5.0 %

SAS | Reading and Writing | Dokuz Eylül Üniversite - Zeynep Aydin, Turkey | 2023

A master thesis by Zeynep Aydin, accepted by the Dokuz Eylül Üniversite, on "The Effect of the SAS Method on Eliminating Reading and Writing Difficulties of Primary School Students".

The research involved 12 students in Year 3 (8 years of age) in two primary schools, all identified as having difficulties with reading and writing. Six were allocated to the control group and six to the SAS Course group.

Results: The group following the SAS course showed a statistically significant improvement compared with the control group and achieved above-standard results in the post course test.

SAS | Emotional Well-Being (1) | Radboud University, The Netherlands | 2015

Researching the effects of a single 24 day SAS course, using E.E.G. measurements. Subject: 77 year old female. Condition: not able to cope in daily life, emotional and sensory overload, stress, anxiety, loss of confidence.

E.E.G. measurements before taking the SAS Course:

E.E.G. measurements after taking the SAS Course:

SAS | Emotional Well-Being (2) | Radboud University, The Netherlands | 2015

Researching the effects of a single 24 day SAS course, using Normed CNSVS tests. Subjects: 47 year old female with depression and a 51 year old female with depression and recovering from burn-out.

47 year old female, normed CNSVS test before taking the SAS Course:

47 year old female, normed CNSVS test after taking the SAS Course:

51 year old female, normed CNSVS test before taking the SAS Course:

51 year old female, normed CNSVS test after taking the SAS Course:

SAS | Autism | University, Ankara, Turkey | November - December 2012

As part of an ongoing collaboration with a University in Ankara, Turkey, a pilot reseach programme was initiated at their Occupational Therapy Department.

Led by the head of the department the study comprised of two randomly selected groups of children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, aged 4 to 15 years. One group received only Sensory Integration Therapy, while the second group received Sensory Integration Therapy plus a SAS Neuro-Sensory Programme - in total 22 children completed the whole programme. The SAS Neuro-Sensory Programme was provided for one hour each day, five days a week over four weeks, 20 hours in total.

Results: Feedback indicates a significant decrease in anxiety levels and a reduction in visual, auditory and tactile sensitivities for the second group receiving the SAS Neuro-Sensory Programme, compared with the first group that received Sensory Integration Therapy only.

SAS | Auditory Processing | Ufuk University, Ankara, Turkey | May 2012

A research project was conducted at the Ear Nose and Throat Department at Ufuk University Hospital under the auspices of Dr. Rıdvan Ege and Prof. Dr. Sinan Kocatürk and his team Doç. Dr. Kaan Beriat and audiologist Figen Bağcı.

The project started with a group of 10 randomly selected patients, all with significant word discrimination problems, not considered to be caused by the hearing loss they all suffered from. Due the the advanced age of some of the patients, only three were able to complete the full programme.

Age and Gender Distribution: The mean age was 50, two male and one female.

General Condition: All three patients suffered from mild to severe hearing loss, however this was not considered to be the primary cause of their significant word discrimination problems by the ENT Specialists at the hospital.

Implementation: At the hospital the patients listened for one hour each day to a SAS Neuro-Sensory Programme, 18 hours in total over a three week period. During their listening sessions the patients were allowed to read books, newspapers or magazines.

Objective: To establish if improvements in Word Discrimination ability can be achieved through the application of a SAS Neuro-Sensory programme.

Assessments: Pre- and post-programme Word Discrimination tests were applied under the supervision of Dr. Rıdvan Ege of the Ear, Nose and Throat Department at Ufuk University Hospital.

Results: The pre- and post-programme test results are provided in the table below.

Note: Results of a word discrimination test conducted under controlled conditions at Ufuk University Hospital by audiologist Figen Bağcı.

SAS | Learning Enhancement | Primary School, U.K. | June - December 2012

The school is a voluntary controlled CofE Primary School with around 200 pupils. A pilot programme with four pupils aged 7 to 9 was completed during the Summer 2012 term. Following positive feedback from the children, parents and teachers it was decided to make this a continuous research project with six children taking the programme at any one time.

A special SAS Schools programme was developed to allow for sessions of 40 minutes in duration. The pupils follow the programme 5 days a week, Monday to Friday, over a 5 week period. The 25 sessions equate to just under 17 hours of listening time in total. The programmes employ the same techniques as used by SAS Centres and Practitioners and include music, language and tones. All pupils receive the same generalised programme.

All sessions are administered by an SAS trained Teaching Assistant, who receives weekly supervision by an experienced SAS Accredited Practitioner. The school carefully monitors progress, records academic and personal skills attainment and collates child, teacher and parent feedback.

Results: Initially only children requiring extra help with reading or writing, or with sensory processing, were chosen to participate. Given the substantial improvements these children made. it was decided to invite children without observed difficulties into the program. The children in this second cohort made faster progress in their learning than other children of the same age and abilities.

SAS | Autism/ADHD | Special Needs Secondary School, U.K. | 2010 - 2012

The school is a Special Needs Secondary School with about 150 students with moderate learning difficulties, 11 to 19 years of age. A research project with 16 students was instigated during the Summer term of 2010. Eight students with either AD/HD or autism received the programme, while a balanced control group of eight other students were tested pre- and post-programme, but were at this stage not offered the listening time.

The students received standard SAS programmes of 60 minutes in duration. The students followed the programme 5 days a week, Monday to Friday for 16 hours in total. The programmes employed the same techniques as used by SAS Centres and Practitioners and included music, language and tones. All students received the same generalised programme.

All sessions were administered by an SAS trained Teaching Assistant. The school carefully monitored progress, recorded academic and personal skills attainment pre- and post-programme and collated child, teacher and parent feedback.

Results: The positive improvements in academic achievement, behaviour and emotional well-being of the listening group compared to the control group were such that the school decided to offer the programmes on a continuous basis to selected students, starting with the control group.