Sensory Overresponsivity as a Predictor of Amplitude Discrimination Performance in Youth with ASD.
Elizabeth P McKernan, Ying Wu, Natalie Russo
PMID 31016673WHAT IT FOUND
In children with autism, higher parent-reported sensory overresponsivity predicted worse performance on a tactile test involving adaptation.
This link was not found in typically developing children. The study suggests sensory issues may underlie specific tactile processing differences in autism.
Key findings
01Sensory overresponsivity significantly predicted performance on the single-site adaptation task and the difference between adaptation and non-adaptation tasks in the ASD group.
02Sensory overresponsivity did not significantly predict performance on any amplitude discrimination tasks for typically developing youth.
03Children with ASD had significantly greater sensory overresponsivity total scores than typically developing children.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (25 per group) and included a wide age range, leading to high variability. There was a significant discrepancy in sex ratios between the groups (more males in the ASD group). Sensory overresponsivity was measured using a proxy scale derived from parent reports, and the reliability and validity of this specific measure were undetermined. The study used only one type of tactile stimulation, so results may not generalize to other forms of touch.
Declared interests
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that sensory overresponsivity causes all tactile difficulties in autism. The study shows a predictive relationship in a specific adaptation task, but the measure used had undetermined validity, and other factors like GABA function were not investigated.