Sensory Processing and Stress Evaluation Lab

About the LabA woman sits at a laptop while two other woman interact with a child hooked up to electronics

The Department of Occupational Therapy Kathryn Lawrence Dragas Sensory Processing And Stress Evaluation (SPASE) Lab was established in 2004 as an environment in which researchers could examine the physiological mechanisms underlying disorders in sensory integration and processing. The global aims of the SPASE Lab at VCU are to:

  • Examine the causes and prevalence of sensory integration and processing disorders;
  • Identify neurologic, physiologic and biochemical markers associated with sensory integration and processing disorders.
  • Examine best practice for working with children with sensory integration and processing disorders.
  • Test novel sensory-based interventions for improving performance, sleep, and stress levels in children and adults with developmental disorders.
  • Identify the impact of sensory environments on occupational performance. 

Space and Equipment

The SPASE lab is located at 900 E. Leigh Street in the College of Health Professions Building (Rooms 5007 & 5009). The lab is 300 square feet divided into two rooms; a primary testing room and a parent/researcher observation room. The two rooms are divided by a one-way mirror; pan-tilt-zoom cameras are also installed in the primary testing space and can be controlled in the observation room for both recording and observational purpose.

We have research-grade technology to measure electrodermal reactivity, cardiac vagal tone, and cardiac impedence (Mindware Technology), as well as activity patterns and sleep (Actigraph GT9X watches). Our lab uses E-Prime 3 for stimulus delivery during our sensory paradigms which is integrated with our Mindware system. We also have Noldus software for video coding and analysis of observable behaviors. Intervention equipment includes Touchpoints, wristbands, and pressure vests (Vayu). We also have access to shared lab space within the Department of Occupational Therapy at VCU to conduct sensory integration intervention; this space has suspension points for swings as well as a variety of other equipment which adheres to the fidelity standards for Ayres Sensory Integration®.

Funding and Current Projects

Research in our lab has been funded by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Barth Syndrome Foundation, the Organization for Autism Research, the Wallace Foundation, the Virginia Commonwealth University, Presidential Research Initiative Program, and the AD Williams Research fund at VCU.  Research in our lab has yielded over 35 publications in the last 10 years and numerous state, national, and international publications. We are also proud to have mentored over 25 students who have either worked in the lab as research assistants or completed research projects in the lab as part of their dissertation/thesis work. Several of these students have gone on to accept teaching or research positions at other universities and are now mentoring other students.

Lab Director

Stacey Reynolds, PhD, OTR/L 

  • Reynolds is Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She received her M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Gannon University and her PhD in Health Science with emphasis in Occupational Therapy at Virginia Commonwealth University. In 2010 she was accepted into the Rehabilitation Research and Career Development (RRCD) program at the University of Florida and completed 2.5 years of mentored training in the area of behavioral neuroscience. In addition to 20+ years of clinical experience, Dr. Reynolds has completed multiple funded research projects related to the etiology and characterization of sensory-motor disorders in neurodevelopmental disabilities using both human and animal models. Dr. Reynolds also holds the position of Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy (AJOT), the highest ranked occupational therapy journal in the world.

Select Research Publications

  • Nguyen, T., Pineda, R., Reynolds, S., & Kane, A.E. (2024). Medical and Sociodemographic Characteristics Related to Feeding Therapy Utilization for Premature Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Journal of Perinatology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-02184-y 
  • Choudhury, I, Tarver, T., Davis, M.E., & Reynolds, S. (2024). Studying the Specificity of Research Reporting for Ayres Sensory Integration Interventions in Published Literature. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 78(1). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.050558
  • Chu, V.W.T., Payne, S.J., Hunter, M.P., & Reynolds, S. (2023). Development of a Phone Application for assessing Fatigue Levels in Rare Disorders: A Feasibility and Validity Study. Journal of Rare Diseases
  • Reynolds, S., Daw, E., Babson, I.C., & Chu, V. (2022). What is Barth Tired?: A qualitative approach to understanding fatigue in Barth syndrome from the perspective of family members. Journal of Rare Disorders: Diagnosis & Therapy, 8, (8), 1-8. DOI: 10.36648/2380-7245.8.8.72.
  • Babson, I.C., Daw, E., Reynolds, S. (2022). Qualitative Investigation of Fatigue and Its Daily Impacts as Perceived By Individuals with Barth Syndrome. Journal of Rare Disorders: Diagnosis & Therapy, 8(7), 1-9. DOI: 10.36648/2380-7245.8.7.48
  • DeBoth, K., Reynolds, S., Lane, S.J., Carretta, H., Lane, A.E., & Schaaf, R.C. (2021). Neurophysiological Correlates of Sensory-Based Phenotypes in Autism. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-021-01266-8 
  • Andelin, L., Schoen, S., & Reynolds, S. (2021). A multiple baseline design study investigating the effectiveness of occupational therapy using a sensory integration approach. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(6). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.044917
  • McGhee, K., Kidney, E., Bouley, H.P., Pou, K., & Reynolds, S. (2021). The effectiveness of bilateral alternating tactile stimulation for improving sleep in children with sensory over-responsivity. Occupational Therapy in Health Care.  Published online first at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07380577.2021.1946734
  • Judd, N., Calhoun, H., Chu, V., & Reynolds, S. (2020). The relationship between sleep and activity level in males with Barth syndrome: A cross-sectional analysis. Journal of Rare Diseases Research & Treatment, 5(2), 24-30.