New Study Suggests "Reporter Trick" Can Help Autistic Children Manage Sensory Overload
A UCLA Health study indicates that cognitive reappraisal, a technique known as the "reporter game," may reduce sensory distress in autistic children.
Autism diagnoses in the U.S. have seen a significant increase, rising by 175% between 2011 and 2022. This surge has led to a greater focus on effective strategies for managing common symptoms, particularly sensory over-responsivity, which can cause distress for autistic children when faced with everyday sensations like scratchy fabric or loud noises.
A study conducted by UCLA Health, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, explored a coping mechanism that could offer relief. Researchers examined children aged 8 to 15, including 47 formally diagnosed with autism and 45 typically developing children. Participants underwent MRI scans while unpleasant textures were applied to their forearms.
Before the scans, children were taught a "reporter game." In this exercise, some participants objectively described the texture's sensory qualities factually, akin to a news reporter, while others focused on their subjective feelings about the sensation. The study found that when autistic children engaged in the reporter game, activity in their brain's sensory regions significantly decreased compared to when they focused on their feelings.
Both groups showed activity in brain areas that regulate emotional responses, with older autistic children exhibiting stronger activity in these regions. The reporter game is a form of cognitive reappraisal, a technique used in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that aims to alter emotional responses by changing one's thoughts about a situation.
While sensory sensitivities are a prominent challenge for many autistic children, research-based treatments specifically for this symptom remain limited. Senior study author Shulamite Green stated in a press release that the research is moving beyond identifying brain activity patterns to testing potential treatments.
Typically developing children may utilize frontal brain regions for sensory regulation, whereas autistic children might experience developmental delays in this area. The study suggests that older autistic children may be more adept at using strategies like cognitive reappraisal due to these developmental differences.
Interestingly, despite the observed changes in brain activity, the autistic participants did not report the textures as feeling less unpleasant, unlike the typically developing children. Green posited that challenges with cognitive flexibility might make it harder for autistic individuals to quickly shift their rating of a sensation. The researchers noted that longer-term interventions might be necessary for brain activity changes to translate into a subjective change in how a sensation is perceived.
However, since cognitive reappraisal is an established component of CBT, it could be readily integrated into existing therapeutic frameworks. Green emphasized that CBT interventions are known to be effective for anxiety and emotional regulation, suggesting there is no need to develop entirely new approaches. Current interventions for sensory over-responsivity include occupational therapy, sensory integration, and CBT. Other management strategies involve sensory-based approaches like deep pressure with weighted blankets and environmental modifications such as noise-canceling headphones, dim lighting, and quiet spaces.