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The Relationship between Sensory Sensitivity and Autistic Traits in the General Population

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Abstract

Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) tend to have sensory processing difficulties (Baranek et al. in J Child Psychol Psychiatry 47:591–601, 2006). These difficulties include over- and under-responsiveness to sensory stimuli, and problems modulating sensory input (Ben-Sasson et al. in J Autism Dev Disorders 39:1–11, 2009). As those with ASD exist at the extreme end of a continuum of autistic traits that is also evident in the general population, we investigated the link between ASD and sensory sensitivity in the general population by administering two questionnaires online to 212 adult participants. Results showed a highly significant positive correlation (r = .775, p < .001) between number of autistic traits and the frequency of sensory processing problems. These data suggest a strong link between sensory processing and autistic traits in the general population, which in turn potentially implicates sensory processing problems in social interaction difficulties.

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Notes

  1. Note that a self-report sensory questionnaire (The Adult/Adolescent Sensory Profile: AASP) has previously been published by Brown and Dunn (2002). However, this instrument was not specifically designed to target the sensory issues associated with ASD populations, and contains some questions which overlap with those on autism diagnostic instruments, which made it unsuitable for our purposes. In addition, our questionnaire assessed reported sensitivity separately in the proprioceptive, vestibular, taste and smell modalities (these modalities are combined into ‘taste/smell’ and ‘movement’ in the AASP), as well as including items for visual, auditory and touch sensitivity. Furthermore, we did not include items on ‘activity level’, which is assessed in the AASP.

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Acknowledgments

Ashley Robertson was supported by an EPSRC-CTA studentship, an ESRC-CASE +3 studentship (funded in collaboration with Carers Link East Dunbartonshire) and an EPSRC-KTA grant during the course of this research. David Simmons was partially supported by a grant from ESRC (“Social interactions: A cognitive neurosciences approach” (RES-060-25-0010)). These data have been presented as a poster at the International Meeting for Autism Research (Chicago, 2009) and the Scottish Autism Research Group (Edinburgh, 2010). This paper will also be included as a chapter in Ashley Robertson’s doctoral thesis. We would like to thank Prof. Frank Pollick, Dr Mary Stewart, Dr Dave McGonigle and Dr Iain McClure for valuable comments during the development of the questionnaire, and on the manuscript. For a copy of the Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire (to be used for research purposes only), please contact either author.

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  1. School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, 58 Hillhead Street, Glasgow, G12 8QB, UK

    Ashley E. Robertson & David R. Simmons

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Robertson, A.E., Simmons, D.R. The Relationship between Sensory Sensitivity and Autistic Traits in the General Population. J Autism Dev Disord 43, 775–784 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1608-7

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