Table 3.
Summary of content analysis
| Hyperreactive | Hyporeactive | Seeking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual | |||
| Bright lights (e.g., artificial, sunlight) | 30 | – | – |
| Flashing lights | 12 | – | – |
| Cluttered/busy environments | 13 | – | – |
| Bright colours | 6 | – | 10 |
| Patterns | 5 | – | 9 |
| Motion/moving objects | 5 | – | 5 |
| Visual search (e.g., slow to see dangers or changes) | – | 7 | – |
| Complex images (e.g., nature scenes, artwork) | – | – | 9 |
| Ambient lights | – | – | 6 |
| Auditory | |||
| Loud and/or unexpected sounds | 28 | – | – |
| Busy/chaotic auditory environments | 19 | – | – |
| Background noise | 18 | – | – |
| Sounds others cannot hear | 10 | – | – |
| High pitched noises | 6 | – | – |
| Out of tune sounds | 3 | – | – |
| Repetitive sounds | 3 | – | – |
| No response when distracted/focussed | – | 10 | – |
| Own music | – | – | 26 |
| Ambient sounds (e.g., fans or engines humming) | – | – | 3 |
| Tactile | |||
| Light and/or unexpected touch from people | 29 | – | – |
| Clothing fabrics and labels | 24 | – | – |
| Tight clothing | 9 | – | – |
| Environmental textures (e.g., carpet, blankets, feathers) | 9 | – | 18 |
| Wet/greasy textures (e.g., rain, sweat, lotions) | 8 | – | – |
| Pressure (e.g., tight clothing, tight hugs) | – | – | 23 |
| Hot or cold items/surfaces | – | – | 10 |
| Interoception | |||
| Temperature extremes | 17 | 11 | – |
| Pain | 4 | 15 | – |
| Body signals (e.g., hunger, needing the toilet) | – | 4 | – |
| Gustatory | |||
| Food tastes | 18 | 8 | 24 |
| Food textures | 16 | – | 5 |
| Olfactory | |||
| Strong odours | 31 | – | – |
| Perfumes | 12 | – | 5 |
| Food odours | 9 | – | 7 |
| Scented products | 8 | – | 6 |
| People and animals | 6 | – | 4 |
| Dirty home odours (e.g., bins) | 6 | – | – |
| Cigarette smoke | 5 | – | – |
| Pollution | 4 | – | – |
| Subtle odours | – | 9 | – |
Number of participants who reported experiences relating to sensory hyperreactivity, hyporeactivity, and seeking, in each modality (n = 49)