Brief Report: Sex Differences in ASD Diagnosis-A Brief Report on Restricted Interests and Repetitive Behaviors.
High sensory avoiding scores flag lower real-world skills in elementary kids with ASD—screen and plan for sensory needs before pushing participation goals.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team looked at the kids with high-functioning autism and 45 typical kids, .
They gave parents two short forms: one on daily living skills and one on sensory patterns.
What they found
Kids with autism scored lower in sports, friendships, and school tasks.
The higher the child's sensory avoiding score, the lower their real-world competence.
How this fits with other research
Lin et al. (2026) studied 8- to young learners across Taiwan. They found communication problems and caregiver help—not sensory issues—drive participation gaps. The two studies seem to clash, but C et al. looked at younger kids and used parent checklists, while Che-Yu used big registry data. Sensory sensitivity may matter more in early elementary years.
Fujiura et al. (2018) tracked the same adaptive skills over time and saw gains stop in early teens. Adding sensory screening to those teen plans could keep progress from stalling.
Miltenberger et al. (2013) showed kids with autism move as much as peers, but parents still report fewer activity types. Pairing their finding with C et al. tells us it's not lack of energy—it's sensory discomfort that keeps kids from joining in.
Why it matters
Before you write participation goals, run a quick sensory checklist. If the child avoids noise, textures, or movement, add sensory breaks or graded exposure first. Small tweaks like headphones, fidget tools, or starting in a quiet corner can keep the child in the game and protect the social and academic skills you're targeting.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This pilot study explored activity patterns in children with and without ASD and examined the role of sensory responsiveness in determining children's level of competence in activity performance. Twenty-six children with high functioning ASD and twenty-six typically-developing children 6-12 years old were assessed using the Sensory Profile and the Child Behavior Checklist. Results reflect differences in the types of activities and jobs/chores engaged in by children with ASD compared to children without ASD. Significant differences were seen in overall level of competence in activities, social, and school performance. Children demonstrating more frequent Sensory Sensitivity and Sensory Avoiding had significantly lower competence scores than children with fewer behaviors in these domains, suggesting that sensory responsiveness may impact the ability to participate successfully.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2019 · doi:10.1007/BF02172145