Which statement describes Sensory Dysfunction?

• A. Self-reporting: Dunn's Sensory Profile
• B. Sensory systems cannot be controlled internally or automatically
• C. People are naturally motivated by an inner drive to continue developing toward greater maturity.
• D. Standardized assessments: SIPT, Degangi-Berk, Sensory Processing Measure, Test of Sensory Functions in Infants

Answer: (B)

Sensory dysfunction involves atypical processing and regulation of sensory information, so automatic, internal regulation of sensory input can become disordered. In typical processing, the nervous system organizes and modulates sensory input largely without conscious effort. When dysfunction is present, those automatic regulatory processes don’t work smoothly, leading to responses that feel uncontrolled or exaggerated in reaction to sensory stimuli. The statement reflects this idea by implying that sensory systems aren’t operating with normal internal or automatic control, which is a hallmark of sensory dysfunction.

The other options point to how we measure or describe the phenomenon rather than what the phenomenon is: self-report tools like the Sensory Profile describe assessment methods, and standardized tests list instruments used for evaluation. The one about inner motivation toward maturity isn’t about sensory processing at all.