Parental Perspectives: How Sensory Sensitivities Impact the Transition to Adulthood in Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Rachel M Hantman, Emily B Johnston, Helen Tager-Flusberg
PMID 36402934WHAT IT FOUND
Parents of autistic adolescents and young adults described sensory sensitivities as a constant barrier to independence.
Touch and sound issues most often restricted job options, social participation, and daily living tasks. Parents reported needing to manage environments and teach self-advocacy to help their children navigate adulthood.
Key findings
01Touch and sound sensitivities were the most frequently reported by parents, endorsed by 83% of the sample each.
02Nearly all parents (89%) believed sensory sensitivities impacted their child's developmental trajectory and psychological state regarding independence.
03Seventy percent of parents reported that sensory sensitivities directly limited their child's ability to find or maintain employment or vocational training.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study relies entirely on parent perceptions, which may not match the actual experiences or self-reports of the autistic individuals. Participants were recruited from a specific registry and online communities, which may not represent families without internet access or those who speak languages other than English. The sample was limited to families where the young adult lived at home, excluding those in residential care. The study was conducted remotely during the pandemic, which may have influenced the types of sensory challenges parents reported (e.g., lack of exposure to public spaces).
Declared interests
The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. The authors declared no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat these findings as objective measures of the autistic individuals' capabilities. The data reflects what parents believe and worry about, which may differ from the young adults' own experiences or actual functional limitations.