Sensory Processing in Individuals With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Compared With Control Populations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Summary & key facts

This paper looked at many studies to see whether people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, have different ways of processing sensory information (things like sounds, touch, sights). The authors combined about 30 studies with over 5,300 people and found that, on average, people with ADHD showed more unusual sensory patterns — they were more easily overwhelmed by sensations, more likely to avoid sensations, more likely to seek extra sensations, and more likely to miss or not notice sensory input. The studies varied a lot in their methods, and only a minority were judged low risk of bias, so the results suggest a clear link but should be interpreted carefully. The authors conclude that checking sensory processing could be useful when doctors assess people for ADHD.

Key facts:

• The researchers reviewed about 30 studies that compared people diagnosed with ADHD to people without ADHD using questionnaires about sensory processing.
• Altogether the studies included over 5,300 people, with most studies done in children and some in adults.
• People with ADHD showed more sensory sensitivity, meaning they often react strongly to sights, sounds, touch, or other sensations.
• People with ADHD also showed more sensory avoiding, which means they may try to get away from overwhelming sensations.
• People with ADHD showed more sensory seeking, which means they sometimes look for extra sensations, like touching or moving more than others.
• People with ADHD showed more low sensory registration, which means they may not notice sensations that others do.
• The size of the differences was substantial across these sensory patterns, but the studies differed a lot from each other, so the exact size of the differences is uncertain.
• Only fewer than 10 of the included studies were judged to be at low risk of bias, so some findings may be affected by study limitations.
• Current clinical guidelines for ADHD usually do not require checking sensory processing, but the authors suggest sensory processing should be assessed when evaluating people with ADHD because it can affect daily life.

Topics

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Functional Brain Connectivity Studies Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Psychiatry and Mental health

Tags

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Audiology Clinical psychology Cognitive psychology Internal medicine Medicine Meta-analysis Psychiatry Psychology Sensory processing Sensory system

Conditions & symptoms

ADHD Difficulty focusing