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. 2022 Jun 2:13:876127.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.876127. eCollection 2022.

Sensory Processing and Community Participation in Autistic Adults

Nancy Bagatell  1 , Dara V Chan  2 , Ya-Cing Syu  1 , Elena M Lamarche  3 , Laura G Klinger  3   4
Affiliations

Sensory Processing and Community Participation in Autistic Adults

Nancy Bagatell et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: Sensory processing differences have been shown to impact involvement in community activities. However, relatively little is known about how these differences affect community participation in autistic adults.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore how sensory processing patterns of autistic adults impact community participation, including where people go, what they do, the amount of time in the community, and preferred locations.

Methods: We used data gathered from six autistic adults and their caregivers who participated in two studies. From Study 1, we reviewed results of the Adolescent and Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) and transcripts from interviews with caregivers. From Study 2, we reviewed GPS tracking data and transcripts from structured interviews with autistic adults focused on community participation. We read transcript data, identified quotes related to sensory processing and community participation and constructed individual participant narratives which linked findings from interviews, AASP, and GPS tracking.

Results: Participants included three males and three females ranging in age from 29 to 51. Each participant had a unique sensory processing profile that influenced where they went, the activities in which they engaged, how much time they spent in the community, and their preferred locations. Those whose sensory processing patterns indicated sensory sensitivity and sensory avoiding described the experience of certain environments as overwhelming and fatiguing and thus spent less time in the community and visited fewer places than those with other sensory processing patterns.

Conclusion: Results highlight the importance of sensory processing, especially as it impacts participation in the community. Sensory processing patterns should be considered along with other personal and contextual factors when assessing community participation and personal sensory processing patterns should be matched with activities and environmental demands.

Keywords: adults; autism; community participation; geographic positioning system; sensory processing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Steve’s activity space (23.45 mi2) reflecting visits to a few locations dispersed throughout his community area during the 1-week study period.
Figure 2
Figure 2
John’s activity space (8.51 mi2) based on visiting several locations clustered close to his home and to each other during the 1-week study period.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sherri’s activity space (45.22 mi2) shows both the wide dispersement and a large number of locations visited throughout her community area during the 1-week study period.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Pete’s community locations and activity space (8.6 mi2) from the GPS study week reflect his visits to several locations close to home and the autism center he volunteered with during the 1-week study period.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Patti’s activity space (44.72 mi2) based on locations visited in the community during the 1-week study period, reflecting a combination of activities clustered around her home and those requiring greater geographic mobility.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Beth’s activity space (64.51 mi2) showing the wide dispersion of community activity locations from the GPS study week, particularly to visit her family in another town on the weekend.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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