Relationships among hyperacusis, misophonia, and autistic traits in a non-clinical population

Objectives Autistic traits are associated with sensory hyper-reactivity; however, the extent to which this association applies to non-clinical populations remains unclear. This study aimed to examine whether autistic traits in the general population are linked to levels of sensory hyper-reactivity comparable to those observed in autistic people, and whether this association varies according to the severity of autistic traits. Additionally, the study sought to determine the specificity of auditory hyper-reactivity and to elucidate the relationship between two aspects of auditory hyper-reactivity: hyperacusis and misophonia, in the context of autistic traits.Methods In total, 439 university students completed four self-report questionnaires assessing autistic traits, sensory traits, hyperacusis, and misophonia.Results Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between autistic traits and increased sensory hyper-reactivity across all sensory modalities. Auditory hyper-reactivity was the most frequent sensory complaint, consistent with findings from studies involving clinical autistic people. Theoretical model comparisons indicated that hyperacusis serves as a foundational abnormality that precedes the development of misophonia.Conclusions These findings demonstrated that, even in non-clinical populations, autistic traits are associated with elevated sensory sensitivity, particularly in the auditory domain. The results further supported the hypothesis of a developmental progression in which hyperacusis may act as a precursor to misophonia.