TY - JOUR
T1 - In Our Own Words: The Complex Sensory Experiences of Autistic Adults
AU - MacLennan, Keren
AU - O'Brien, Sarah
AU - Tavassoli, Teresa
N1 - Funding Information:
Special thanks to the autistic adults who participated in this study and those who provided feedback in the development of this project. Especially, to Aimee Fletcher, Jack Welch, Charlie Murphy and Hannah Steel for providing feedback on the findings and interpretations. Additionally, thanks to Anthony Haffey and Autism Berkshire for helping with recruitment. K. MacLennan and T. Tavassoli are funded by MQ and Autistica.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/7/13
Y1 - 2021/7/13
N2 - Autistic adults commonly experience sensory reactivity differences. Sensory hyperreactivity is frequently researched, whilst hyporeactivity and seeking, and experiences across domains, e.g., vision, are often neglected. Therefore, we aimed to understand more about the sensory experiences of autistic adults. We conducted a mixed-methods study, co-produced with stakeholders; recruiting 49 autistic adults who completed an online survey. Firstly, quantitative results and content analysis enhanced our understanding of sensory input/contexts associated with sensory hyperreactivity, hyporeactivity, and seeking across modalities. Secondly, thematic analysis developed themes relating to ‘Outcomes’, ‘Control’, ‘Tolerance and management’, and ‘The role of other people’, informing a theoretical model of sensory reactivity differences in autistic adults. These findings have implications for support services and improving quality of life for autistic adults.
AB - Autistic adults commonly experience sensory reactivity differences. Sensory hyperreactivity is frequently researched, whilst hyporeactivity and seeking, and experiences across domains, e.g., vision, are often neglected. Therefore, we aimed to understand more about the sensory experiences of autistic adults. We conducted a mixed-methods study, co-produced with stakeholders; recruiting 49 autistic adults who completed an online survey. Firstly, quantitative results and content analysis enhanced our understanding of sensory input/contexts associated with sensory hyperreactivity, hyporeactivity, and seeking across modalities. Secondly, thematic analysis developed themes relating to ‘Outcomes’, ‘Control’, ‘Tolerance and management’, and ‘The role of other people’, informing a theoretical model of sensory reactivity differences in autistic adults. These findings have implications for support services and improving quality of life for autistic adults.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85110544784&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10803-021-05186-3
DO - 10.1007/s10803-021-05186-3
M3 - Article
SN - 0162-3257
JO - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
JF - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
ER -