6.31 Sensory Processing Profiles and Response to Cognitive Training in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Sensory processing abnormalities (SPA) have been reported in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since the earliest descriptions of ASD, yet only recently has “hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input or unusual interests in sensory aspects of the environment” been added to the diagnostic checklist for ASD. Sensory processing, and the integration of external input into stable representations of the environment, is integral to social cognitive functioning; challenges in these processes may hinder the acquisition of social skills in development. By assessing auditory processing and behavioral characteristics of adolescents with ASD before they began a computerized, neuroplasticity-based cognitive training intervention program, we aimed to identify SPA profiles that may impact intervention success. We recruited individuals (N = 30; 6 females; ages: 16.7 ± 4.5 years; IQ ≥ 70) with a prior diagnosis of ASD from local clinics. We evaluated auditory processing with the Filtered Words (FW) and the Competing Words (CW) subtests from the SCAN Test for Auditory Processing Disorder. The FW subtest assesses the ability to decipher human speech from background sounds, while the CW subtest is a dichotic listening task that identifies developmentally delayed or damaged central auditory pathways. Participants then completed a customized, adaptive cognitive training program (∼12-16 weeks) designed to improve information processing speed and accuracy, working memory, and cognitive control. In addition to recording performance change throughout the training course, we also collected pre- and postintervention self/parent-report measures including the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2), the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory (CASI), and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL). Preliminary data indicate within-subject gains across the training program and between pre/postintervention assessments. Using factors derived from baseline measures, we identified SPA profiles associated with treatment success as well as levels of study engagement. Data collection and analysis for the present study are ongoing. Preliminary findings support the use of sensory processing profiles to gauge the suitability and potential utility of cognitive training programs on an individual level.