Abstract
Children with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDC) often have sensory reactivity differences, such as being overwhelmed by sounds, which can elicit distress in their everyday life. Furthermore, children with an NDC often present with a greater frequency of mental health symptoms compared to their typically developing peers. However little research has examined the relationship of these sensory reactivity differences on broader mental health. This study set out to explore the relationship between sensory reactivity and mental health symptoms. Data from parent-reported measures of sensory reactivity and mental health symptoms were collected for 49 children presenting with a neurodevelopmental condition and 42 typically developing (TD) controls. Partial correlational analyses, controlling for IQ, were used to elucidate the relationship between sensory reactivity and mental health symptoms. Children with an NDC were significantly more likely to present with a sensory reactivity difference or mental health symptom. Sensory seeking was found to be the sensory subtype most related to mental health symptoms, especially in externalising conditions. There was evidence also found for a relationship between depression, sensory seeking and sensory hypo-reactivity, and GAD and hyper-reactivity. Findings suggest a relationship between sensory reactivity and mental health symptoms in children with a neurodevelopmental condition. There is also preliminary evidence of unique sensory-based profiles of mental health. Assessment of sensory difficulties as part of more rigorous mental health assessments within mental health services will support more accurate diagnoses and intervention.
Highlights
Sensory reactivity symptoms, defined as different responses to sensory stimuli in the environment [1], are often present in neurodevelopmental conditions (NDC), including in those with categorical labels such as autism [2,3,4]
Partial correlation analysis was used to understand the relationship between hyper-reactivity, hypo-reactivity, sensory seeking and mental health diagnoses
The objectives of this study were to explore the association between sensory reactivity and mental health symptoms across two paediatric cohorts: children with a neurodevelopmental condition and typically developing children
Summary
Sensory reactivity symptoms, defined as different responses to sensory stimuli in the environment [1], are often present in neurodevelopmental conditions (NDC), including in those with categorical labels such as autism [2,3,4]. A recent review of the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) framework has further highlighted the lack of research into sensory reactivity and mental health as symptoms across conditions, and identified the need for further investigation across mental health diagnoses in NDC [22]. It is this gap which the current study targets.
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