Hyper-responsiveness to touch mediates social dysfunction in adults with autism spectrum disorders. (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lundqvist, Lars-Olov
• Is Part Of: Research in autism spectrum disorders. Volume 9(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 13
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Autism spectrum disorders -- Touch -- Tactile -- Somatosensory -- Sensory processing; Autism spectrum disorders -- Periodicals; 616.85882005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rasd.2014.09.012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-9467

Abstract

Highlights: All adults with intellectual disability and ASD in a Swedish region participated. Hyper-responsiveness to touch mediated social dysfunction in ASD. Impairment of speech and aggressive behaviors also mediated social dysfunction. The tactile sensory system is foundational for social functioning in ASD. Abstract: This study investigated whether hyper-responsiveness to touch serves as a mediating variable that predicts social dysfunction in adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Data were obtained from all adults with administratively defined intellectual disability in a region in Sweden ( n = 915, where 143 had ASD). A multiple mediation modeling analysis revealed a well-fitted model (Satorra–Bentler scaled chi-square = 10.91, df = 7, p = 0.14, CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.025), demonstrating that social dysfunction among adults with ASD was completely mediated by hyper-responsiveness to touch followed by impairment of speech and aggressive/destructive behavior. The results demonstrated that in adulthood, the tactile sensory system is foundational for social functioning in people with ASD, with diagnosis and intervention implications.