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Too much or too little: hyper- and hypo-reactivity in high-functioning autism spectrum conditions
Marie Elwin1, Lena Ek, Lars Kjellin
1Psychiatric Research Centre, Örebro County Council, Örebro, Sweden. marie.elvin@orebroll.se
Background:
Sensory reactivity in people with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) has been found to differ in comparison to reactivity in people without ASC. In this study sensory experiences of high-functioning individuals with ASC were explored and described.
Method:
Interview data from 15 participants with a diagnosis of ASC were analysed by content analysis.
Results:
Seven aspects of sensory experiences were identified: Being hyper- and hypo-reactive, reacting to general overload, having strong stimuli preferences, managing attentiveness to stimuli, managing sensory/motor stimuli, and dealing with consequences of sensory reactions in daily life.
Conclusions:
The categorisation of sensory reactivity in this study can guide clinicians on how to pose questions about sensory issues to individuals with ASC. The assessment of spectrum-specific sensory experiences in high-functioning ASC and their association with other social and nonsocial features of ASC are goals for further research.
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