In our own words: The complex sensory experiences of autistic adults

Abstract

Sensory reactivity differences are commonly experienced by autistic adults. Sensory hyperreactivity is frequently researched, whilst sensory hyporeactivity and seeking, and experiences across domains, e.g., vision or touch, are often neglected. Therefore, our online qualitative study, co-produced with stakeholders, aimed to understand more about the sensory experiences in a large sample of 49 autistic adults. Firstly, content analysis identified sensory input and contexts associated with sensory reactivity differences across modalities. Secondly, using thematic analysis we developed themes relating to ‘Outcomes’, ‘Control’, ‘Tolerance and management’, and ‘The role of other people’, which informed a theoretical model of sensory reactivity differences in autistic adults. Our study has important implications for support services and improving quality of life for autistic adults.

Validation of the German Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire and replication of sensory processing differences in students with higher and lower Autism-Spectrum Quotient

“…Consequently, participants seemed to experience hyposensitivity to the same degree as hypersensitivity. This is also in line with studies that report that individuals with ASD are affected by hyperas well as hyposensitivity [7,28,40]. Regarding correlations and expressions of the hyper-and hyposensitivity domains for all seven sensory modalities, the expected consistent patterns (higher GSQ scores for individuals with higher than lower AQ scores, higher hypersensitivity than hyposensitivity scores) could not be found.…”

“…However, the fact that hyper-and hyposensitivity scores did not differ could also be attributed to the fact that individuals perceive both types of sensory sensitivity in the same way. This would fit with study results that assume that individuals with ASD are not mainly affected by hypersensitivity, but also by hyposensitivity [7,28,40].…”

“…A number of studies have documented both sensory hyper-and hyposensitivity in autism using primarily self-report questionnaires [7,18,23,28,40,43]. However, qualitative interviews [57,69] as well was psychophysiological [47] and neuroimaging [12,25,26] evidence confirms that individuals with ASD often experience their sensory environment differently.…”

“…Sensory processing differences in ASD often go along with sensory seeking (e.g., repetitive sniffing or touching of objects or seeking out visual stimulation) and/or sensory defensive behaviors (e.g., avoiding noisy environments) [14,40,43], and are thought to contribute to the development of mental health conditions such as anxiety [2,21,22,31,46], which commonly co-occur with ASD [30,34,65]. Especially individuals with ASD who have difficulty to react adequately to sensory input end up in stress, pain, or anxiety [2,21,24,64].…”

How auditory processing influences the autistic profile - a review

“…There is a notable lack of evidence demonstrating the clinical utility of sensory measures to support an autism diagnosis or monitor outcomes relevant to effective or service interventions. However, it is crucial to incorporate lived experiences, including evidence from autistic-led research (Davies, 2019;MacLennan, O'Brien, et al, 2021) and in-depth autistic self-accounts of auditory experience (Charlton et al, 2021;Keith et al, 2019a;MacLennan, O'Brien, et al, 2021), into the broader process of autism research, not least to better understand the auditory experience of autistic people and the underlying factors contributing to atypical auditory profiles.…”