Brief Report: Sensory Sensitivity is Associated with Disturbed Eating in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders Without Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between sensory sensitivity and autistic eating behaviours or Eating Disorders (EDs) symptomatology, in a group of 75 adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) without intellectual disabilities, through a series of self-report questionnaires. We found that, controlling for demographic and clinical features: (i) hypersensitivity in the vision domain predicted higher levels of both EDs symptoms and autistic eating behaviours; (ii) hyposensitivity in the taste domain predicted higher levels of EDs symptoms. This gives preliminary evidence that not only in children diagnosed with ASDs, but even in adult individuals, the threshold of sensory sensitivity is associated with dysfunctional eating behaviours.

Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders; Autistic eating behaviours; Eating Disorders; Sensory perception; Sensory sensitivity; Sensory threshold.