Definition
The term “sensory overresponsivity” has been defined as an exaggerated, rapid-onset, or prolonged reaction to sensory stimulation (Ben-Sasson et al. 2008). It is estimated that 56 to 70 percent of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate sensory overresponsivity (Baranek et al. 2006). Sensory overresponsivity has also been associated with greater anxiety, social impairment, and functional impairment in individuals with ASD (Cascio et al. 2016; Green and Ben-Sasson 2010; Liss et al. 2006), making it a clinical construct of relevance for this population. Though sensory overresponsivity has been documented in parent reports across the sensory modalities, atypical responses to touch are particularly highlighted in self- and parent reports and have been the focus of a substantive amount of experimental research (Cascio et al. 2012; Kaiser et al. 2015; Marco et al. 2012).
In particular, tactile processing in those with ASD has been investigated using psychophysical...
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McKernan, E.P., Cascio, C.J., Russo, N. (2020). Sensory Overresponsivity as a Predictor of Amplitude Discrimination Performance in Youth with ASD. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102476-1
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