They Are Also Less Able to Adapt to Painful Stimuli
The Israel Science Foundation recently funded a study that discovered people with autism experience pain at a higher intensity than the general population. Sadly, this research also found that individuals on the spectrum have more difficulty adapting to pain. These findings contradict previous research, which indicated that those with autism are indifferent to pain. Fifty-two adults with high-functioning autism (HFA) and a group of neurotypical controls participated in this research. Psychophysical tests were used to evaluate pain. The study started by questioning participants about their sensitivity to pain, other sensory responses, and their psychological health. The subjects were then exposed to painful stimuli involving heat and cold under controlled experimental conditions. Results showed that people on the spectrum experienced pain more intensely than the neurotypical controls. The results also demonstrated that the HFA adults were impaired in adjusting to painful stimuli over time. Co-lead author Dr. Tami Bar-Shalita, of Tel Aviv University summarized these findings by stating, “The results of our study indicate that in most cases, the sensitivity to pain of people with autism is actually higher than that of most of the population, while at the same time, they are unsuccessful at effectively suppressing painful stimuli.” The authors note that their research has implications for people on the spectrum who are minimally verbal or non-verbal. These individuals may be unable to convey their pain effectively to their caregivers. Doctors and clinicians should be aware of these findings when treating minimal or non-verbal individuals.
