PsyArXiv Preprints | Central Sensitivity Symptoms and Autistic Traits in Autistic and non-Autistic Adults
Central sensitivity syndromes (CSS) are a group of related conditions thought to include an underlying sensitisation of the central nervous system. Evidence suggests autistic adults experience more physical health symptoms than the general population and could be more vulnerable to developing CSS. This study examined CSS diagnoses and symptoms in autistic and non-autistic adults, to determine whether CSS symptoms were related to autistic traits, mental health, sensory sensitivity, or gender. Participants included 534 adults with clinical diagnoses of autism, CSS, both conditions or neither, who completed online self-report validated questionnaires. Independent t-tests, ANCOVA, hierarchical regression analysis and path analysis were used to analyse relationships between CSS symptoms, autistic traits, depression, anxiety, sensory sensitivity, age, and gender. Autistic people without a diagnosed CSS reported significantly more CSS symptoms than controls, with a mean score above the clinical cut-off. Non-autistic participants with a CSS had significantly more autistic traits than controls. Autistic people with a diagnosed CSS reported the most sensory sensitivity, with autism only and CSS only groups reporting similar levels of sensory difficulties and all diagnostic groups reporting more sensory sensitivity than controls. Sensory sensitivity, anxiety, autistic traits, age and gender were all significant predictors of CSS symptoms. There appears to be a large crossover between physical health symptoms in autistic people and people with a diagnosed CSS, suggesting there may be diagnostic overshadowing in these populations. Increased awareness of an association between autistic traits and CSS symptoms should inform clinicians and guide diagnostic practice.
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