Sensory and Social Subtypes of Japanese Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Studies have proposed that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be divided into several subtypes depending on their sensory features. However, consideration of social communication features is also crucial for configuring ASD subtypes, because social and sensory features are tightly interrelated. In this study, we asked Japanese individuals with ASD to answer the Short Sensory Profile (SSP) and the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2), which measure sensory and social aspects, respectively. Consequent latent profile analysis demonstrated that the participants could be divided into five subgroups: two groups exhibited opposite or inconsistent patterns between the SSP and SRS-2 scores, while the other groups exhibited consistent patterns. Our findings indicate the existence of diverse phenotypes in individuals with ASD.