'I feel trapped in my safe clothes': The impact of tactile hyper-sensitivity on autistic adults.

ABSTRACT: Clothing-related tactile hyper-sensitivity has been frequently reported among autistic people, but research investigating how this affects autistic adults is limited. This mixed-methods study investigated the impact of clothing-related tactile hyper-sensitivity on autistic adults' lives, focusing on appearance dissatisfaction, appearance awareness, self-esteem and self-expression through clothing. An online survey was completed by 86 autistic adults in the United Kingdom. Regression analysis revealed a significant predictive relationship between tactile hyper-sensitivity and appearance dissatisfaction. Moderation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between tactile hyper-sensitivity and self-esteem, moderated by appearance dissatisfaction. Moderation of the relationship be

SUBMITTER: Ferrer Knight A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12531387 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature