A brand new meta-analysis (April 2025) in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry confirms what many of us see in practice every day: sensory processing differences are common and significant in individuals with ADHD.
This systematic review looked across multiple studies and found that people with ADHD are much more likely to experience challenges in how they process sensory input — like sound, touch, movement, or visual information. These aren’t just side effects of attention difficulties, but appear to be part of the wider picture of ADHD.
So what’s next?
The authors call for more research into:
• How sensory profiles differ within the ADHD population
• What this means over time (developmentally and functionally)
• Brain-based mechanisms behind these sensory differences
• How sensory processing impacts real life — school, relationships, wellbeing
• Most importantly: what interventions actually help
This evidence strengthens the case for sensory-informed support, including occupational therapy, for people with ADHD of all ages. It’s time to bring sensory integration further into the ADHD conversation.
Sensory Processing in Individuals With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Compared to Control Populations
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
#ADHD#SensoryProcessing#OccupationalTherapy#ADHDAwareness#Neurodiversity#SensoryIntegration#ayressensoryintegration
