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Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Published on: April 22, 2015
Sensory processing in adults with autism spectrum disorders.
Laura Crane1, Lorna Goddard, Linda Pring
1Department of Psychology, University of London, New Cross, London, UK. L.Crane@gold.ac.uk
Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice
|April 17, 2009
Summary
Sensory processing abnormalities are common in adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), affecting 94.4%. These differences persist throughout life, impacting adult diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Unusual sensory processing is frequently observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
- Most research on sensory processing in ASD has focused on pediatric populations.
- Understanding sensory processing in adults with ASD is crucial for lifespan development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sensory processing patterns in adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
- To determine the prevalence of sensory abnormalities in the adult ASD population.
- To explore the variability of sensory processing impairments within adults with ASD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Adult/Adolescent Sensory Profile (AASP), a 60-item self-report questionnaire.
- Assessed sensory processing levels in the daily lives of adult participants with ASD.
- Analyzed self-reported data to identify patterns and prevalence of sensory abnormalities.
Main Results:
- A high prevalence of sensory abnormalities was found, with 94.4% of the ASD sample reporting extreme sensory processing levels in at least one quadrant.
- Significant within-group variability in sensory processing impairments was observed among adults with ASD.
- Individuals with ASD exhibited diverse, yet similarly severe, sensory processing differences.
Conclusions:
- Unusual sensory processing in autism spectrum disorder is a lifelong characteristic, extending into adulthood.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering sensory processing in the diagnosis and treatment of adult ASD.
- The study underscores the need for individualized approaches to address varied sensory needs in adults with ASD.
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01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
01:11Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System
The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...
01:33Somatosensation
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
01:20Parallel Processing
The brain processes sensory information rapidly due to parallel processing, which involves sending data across multiple neural pathways at the same time. This method allows the brain to manage various sensory qualities, such as shapes, colors, movements, and locations, all concurrently. For instance, when observing a forest landscape, the brain simultaneously processes the movement of leaves, the shapes of trees, the depth between them, and the various shades of green. This enables a quick and...
01:31What is a Sensory System?
Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.
01:15Sensory Modalities
Sensation typically is the process by which the sensory receptors and sense organs detect stimuli from the internal and external environment and transmit this information to the central nervous system for processing.
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...