The sensory experiences of autistic people: A metasynthesis.

Sensory atypicalities are very common among autistic people and are integrated in several theories and explanatory models of autism. Qualitative studies have explored these singular sensory experiences from the perspectives of autistic people themselves. This article gathers all these qualitative studies and provides original findings regarding the everyday sensory experience of autistic people, that is, around four dimensions - physical, emotional, relational and social - experienced holistically, as inseparable, and not hierarchically or in terms of cause and effect. Adopting this holistic view could improve the adaptation of the sensory environment in health care facilities and the training of professionals around this specific issue.