Sensory Over-Responsivity in Children Linked to Autism and Anxiety, Not ADHD

A large child study links sensory over-responsivity with autistic traits and anxiety, but not independently with ADHD.

Mind

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A large new study is adding nuance to how researchers understand sensory over-responsivity, the unusually strong reaction some children have to ordinary sounds, textures, smells, lights, or physical sensations. Researchers analyzed data from 15,728 children ages 6 to 18 across five datasets, with 9,197 also contributing resting-state brain scans. After accounting for overlap between different psychiatric traits, sensory over-responsivity was consistently associated with autistic traits and anxiety symptoms, while an independent association with ADHD was not found. The brain imaging data also showed reproducible differences in connectivity linked to sensory sensitivity, suggesting that the experience has measurable neurological correlates. The findings do not mean that children with ADHD cannot experience sensory overload, nor do they establish that autism or anxiety causes sensory sensitivity. They describe statistical associations across large groups. The study is useful partly because autism, ADHD, and anxiety often overlap, making it difficult to determine which traits are independently related to sensory difficulties. The results point toward a more specific understanding of sensory processing while leaving room for other influences and for individual differences.

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