Differences in sensory responses among children with autism spectrum disorder and typical development: Links to joint attention and social competence

Abstract

The current study investigated relations among children's sensory responses, dyadic orienting, joint attention, and their subsequent social competence with peers. Participants were 38 children (18 children with autism spectrum disorder [ASD] and 20 developmentally matched children with typical development) between the ages of 2.75 and 6.5 years. Observational coding was conducted to assess children's joint attention and dyadic orienting in a structured social communication task. Children's sensory responses and social competence were measured with parent report. Group differences were observed in children's joint attention, sensory responses, multisensory dyadic orienting, and social competence, with the ASD group showing significantly greater social impairment and sensory responses compared with their typical peers. Atypical sensory responses were negatively associated with individual differences on social competence subscales. Interaction effects were observed between diagnostic group and sensory responses with diagnostic group moderating the relation between sensory responses and both joint attention and social competence abilities. Highlights: We explored patterns of relations between sensory responses, social competence, and joint attention among preschoolers with high functioning autism and typical development. Differential relations were found between sensory responses, social competence, and joint attention for children with autism compared with those with typical development. Individuals with ASD may process sensory stimuli differently compared to individuals with TD.