Transdiagnostic Patterns of Sensory Processing in Autism and ADHD

Sensory processing abilities are highly variable within and across people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study examined the transdiagnostic nature of sensory processing abilities, and their association with features of ASD and ADHD, in a large sample of autistic people (n = 495) and people with ADHD (n = 461). Five similar data-driven sensory phenotypes characterized sensory processing abilities, and showed similar patterns of association with features of ASD and ADHD, across both diagnostic groups. These results demonstrate the transdiagnostic nature of sensory processing abilities, while contributing to a growing body of literature that suggests the ASD and ADHD diagnostic labels have poor explanatory power.