@article{734474fc5329438f8988c25bc80f7903,
title = "Patterns of sensory modulation by age and sex in young people on the autism spectrum",
abstract = "Sensory modulation symptoms form a diagnostic criterion for autism spectrum disorder and are associated with significant daily functional limitations. Utilizing caregiver report on Short Sensory Profile-2 (SSP-2) for 919 autistic children (3–14.11 years), we examined the expression of sensory modulation symptoms by age and sex and investigated the existence of specific sensory modulation subtypes. Sensory modulation symptoms appeared to peak in frequency during middle childhood, particularly in sensory sensitivity and avoidance. Symptoms associated with sensory hypo-reactivity and seeking tended not differ between age cohorts. Males and females demonstrated similar overall sensory modulation profiles, however, females showed elevated symptoms relating to sensory sensitivity. Model-based cluster analysis revealed five interpretable sensory modulation subtypes which related to symptom severity (low, mid-range, high). Subtypes demonstrating mid-range symptom severity differed in focus on sensory hyper-reactivity or seeking symptoms. The findings of this study report for the first time that age-related differences in sensory modulation symptoms may be associated with sensory hyper-reactivity only. The subtyping results also suggest that sensory modulation symptom severity is a reliable means of classifying variance within autistic children, however, consideration of differences in the behavioral strategies employed by individuals to manage sensory modulation symptoms may inform tailored supportive strategies.",
keywords = "age, autism spectrum, cluster analysis, sensory, sensory modulation, sex, subtypes, young people",
author = "Lane, {Alison E.} and Kate Simpson and Anne Masi and Rachel Grove and Moni, {Mohammad Ali} and Alicia Montgomery and Jacqui Roberts and Natalie Silove and Olivia Whalen and Whitehouse, {Andrew J.O.} and Valsamma Eapen",
note = "Funding Information: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program. The authors thank all participants and families in the Australian Autism Biobank, Longitudinal study of Australian Students with Autism (LASA), and the Autism Subtyping Project. The authors thank the Australian Autism Biobank Project Team for cohort co‐ordination and data collection: Gail Alvares, Jolene Berry, Vandhana Bharti, Dominique Cleary, Paul Dawson, Cheryl Dissanayake, Mira Frenk, Jacob Gratten, Rachel Grove, Maryam Haghiran, Alexis Harun, Nicole Hayes, Anjali Henders, Honey Heussler, Helen Holdsworth, Lauren Hollier, Anna Hunt, Rachel Jellett, Feroza Khan, Jodie Leslie, Tiana McLaren, Candice Michael, Melanie Muniandy, Melissa Neylan, Michaela Nothard, Leanne Wallace, and Naomi Wray. The authors also thank the Australian Autism Biobank Project Contributing Institutions: University of Western Australia Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Telethon Kids Institute, UNSW Sydney, LaTrobe University, Mater Medical Research Institute, University of Queensland, and PathWest. The authors also thank the LASA Contributing Institutions: Griffith University, The University of Sydney, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, ASPECT, Autism QLD, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Education QLD, AEIOU, and the work of the LASA team members: Dawn Adams, Susan Bruck, Trevor Clark, Sandra Devaraj, Robyn Garland, Honey Heussler, Antoinette Hodge, Patricia Howlin, Deb Keen, Jessica Paynter, David Trembath, Madonna Tucker, Marleen Westerveld and Katrina Williams. The authors also acknowledge KU Marcia Burgess Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre, Liverpool, Sydney and KU Children's Services. The authors thank Rebecca Poulson and Richard Bradley who reviewed the manuscript as independent stakeholder advisors. Andrew J. O. Whitehouse was supported by an Investigator Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (#1173896). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC.",
year = "2022",
month = oct,
doi = "10.1002/aur.2762",
language = "English",
volume = "15",
pages = "1840--1854",
journal = "Autism Research",
issn = "1939-3792",
publisher = "John Wiley & Sons",
number = "10",
}