title: Sensory responsiveness as a predictor of social severity in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: This study examines the relationship between sensory responsiveness and social severity in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders (HFASD; N = 36) and age-matched controls (N = 26) between 6 and 10 years old. Significant relationships were found between social responsiveness scale scores and each of the six sensory profile sensory system scores for children with HFASD and controls. Multivariate regression analyses revealed atypical scores from multisensory responsiveness, and responsiveness of the proximal senses of oral sensory/olfactory and touch as the strongest predictors of greater social impairment in the participants. Findings suggest that the relationship between sensory responsiveness and other autistic traits is more important than previously recognized and addressing sensory modulation issues in children with HFASD may be more critical than previously understood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. hiltonc@wustl.edu
authors.forename: Claudia L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hilton
authors.forename: Jacquelyn D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Rachel Holmes
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Kueker
authors.forename: Andrea Runzi
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Abbacchi
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Todorov
authors.forename: Patricia D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: LaVesser
mesh_terms: D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D055696:Olfactory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology