The Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Atypical Sensory Functioning in Neurotypical and ASD Adults: A Spectrum Approach.
Sensory processing quirks rise hand-in-hand with autistic traits in all adults, not just those with an ASD diagnosis.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Romero (2017) asked adults to fill out two checklists. One measured autistic traits. The other measured unusual sensory habits like being startled by lights or craving deep pressure.
The sample included both neurotypical adults and adults already diagnosed with ASD. The team then looked at whether higher trait scores paired with more sensory differences.
What they found
Sensory quirks rose in step with autistic traits across the whole group. The link looked the same in neurotypical adults and in adults with ASD.
In plain words, you do not need an autism diagnosis to show the pattern. Anyone with more autistic-like traits also reports more sensory issues.
How this fits with other research
Ben-Sasson et al. (2019) pooled many studies and confirmed that large sensory gaps separate ASD and typical groups. Romero (2017) narrows the lens and shows the same gap exists inside each group, trait by trait.
Gonthier et al. (2016) took the idea further. They worked with low-functioning adults in a residential facility and found distinct sensory profiles that predicted behavior challenges. Together the papers draw a line from mild traits to complex needs.
Kargas et al. (2015) seemed to clash at first. They found poorer auditory discrimination in ASD but did not link it to broader traits. Their focus was narrow—one sense, one skill—so the contradiction fades once you see they measured different things.
Why it matters
If sensory issues track autistic traits in everyone, you can screen for them before a formal diagnosis. Use quick trait checklists during intake. Add sensory questions even for clients who seem “mild.” The data say you will catch useful clues no matter the label.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Sensory processing atypicalities are a common feature in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and have previously been linked to a range of behaviours in individuals with ASD and atypical neurological development. More recently research has demonstrated a relationship between autistic traits in the neurotypical (NT) population and increased levels of atypical sensory behaviours. The aim of the present study is to extend previous research by examining specific patterns across aspects of autistic traits and sensory behaviours within both ASD and NT populations. The present study recruited 580 NT adults and 42 high-functioning ASD adults with a confirmed diagnosis to investigate the relationship between specific aspects of autistic traits and sensory processing using the subscales of the autism spectrum quotient (AQ) and adult/adolescent sensory profile (AASP). Results showed a significant relationship between all subscales except for attention to detail and imagination on the AQ and provided the first evidence that the strength and pattern of this relationship is identical between NT and ASD adults. These data also provided support for the broader autism phenotype, uncovering a clear progression of sensory atypicalities in line with an increase in autistic traits, regardless of diagnostic status, which has potential implications for the spectrum approach to ASD and how sensory behaviours across the whole of the neurotypical population are conceptualised.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2017 · doi:10.1007/s10803-016-2948-5