Exploring auditory perception experiences in daily situations in autistic adults

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Audiology
• Psychology

Background:

• Autistic individuals often exhibit sensory processing differences, including sound sensitivities.
• Previous research indicates difficulties in processing affective and intentional speech cues among autistic individuals.
• General auditory and speech processing challenges in autism remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate self-reported auditory perception in autistic and non-autistic adults.
• To compare auditory experiences between clinically diagnosed and self-identifying autistic individuals.
• To explore the prevalence and nature of speech processing difficulties in autism.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Questionnaire.
• Recruited autistic (self-identifying and clinically diagnosed) and non-autistic adults.
• Collected data through an online survey accessible internationally.

Main Results:

• Autistic individuals reported significantly lower overall auditory quality and speech comprehension scores.
• Clinically diagnosed autistic individuals also reported lower scores in spatial and quality subscales.
• Speech hearing emerged as a particularly prominent challenge for many autistic participants.

Conclusions:

• Autistic adults experience notable difficulties in auditory perception and speech comprehension.
• Self-identifying and clinically diagnosed autistic individuals report similar hearing challenges.
• Inclusive research practices are vital for understanding the full spectrum of sensory experiences in autism.