Development and Validation of the Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire Short (GSQ-14)

Many autistic people find that differences in their sensory processing present challenges when interacting with the world, especially when not supported. Understanding and addressing these sensory differences is crucial for improving the quality of life of autistic people. The Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire (GSQ) is a questionnaire that asks questions about the hyper- and hypo-reactivity of the five main senses, as well as proprioception and the vestibular sense. The standard questionnaire contains 42 questions, which can be burdensome for those completing it. This study constructed the Glasgow Sensory Questionnaire Short (GSQ-14) using secondary data from 823 participants and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Validation data were separately collected using an online sample of 75 participants who completed the GSQ-14 and Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) Short. The GSQ-14 demonstrated good internal reliability and significant correlations with measures of autistic traits and sensory processing differences in both the construction and validation samples. The GSQ-14 offers a valid and concise alternative to the original GSQ for measuring sensory processing differences, facilitating use in both clinical practice and research.