How auditory processing influences the autistic profile: A review.
R Poulsen, Z Williams, P Dwyer and 3 others
PMID 39552096WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic people’s auditory challenges are heterogeneous and linked to reduced filtering, adaptation, and increased distress in noisy settings.
Noise-canceling headphones may increase participation. Music and repetitive behaviors can be pleasurable, so avoid assuming all sensory reactivity is negative.
Key findings
01Autistic people often struggle to filter speech from background noise and may experience distress, overload, or shutdowns from intense or multiple stimuli.
02Some autistic people use noise-canceling headphones to increase social participation at home, school, and in the community.
03Not all auditory experiences are aversive; many autistic people find music pleasurable, and repetitive behaviors can serve self-regulation or communication.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a narrative review, not a systematic review, so it is subject to author selection bias and does not provide a comprehensive or unbiased summary of all evidence. The review synthesizes heterogeneous data, including self-reports, behavioral studies, and neuroimaging, without a unified framework for comparing them. It does not evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions, such as noise-canceling headphones or auditory training, but only reports associations or anecdotal benefits.
Declared interests
Funding from the Simons Foundation SFARI, NIH, and NIGMS. Some authors have received consulting fees from Roche and Autism Speaks, and hold roles in autism research councils and committees.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this review as evidence that specific auditory interventions work. It describes associations and experiences, not treatment efficacy, and its narrative nature means it may not represent the full breadth of available evidence.