Understanding Noise Sensitivity through Interactions in Two Online Autism Forums
Emani Dotch, Jazette Johnson, Rebecca W. Black, Gillian R Hayes · 2023 · Proceedings of the 25th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility (ASSETS 2023) · doi:10.1145/3597638.3608413
Summary
This qualitative study examines how autistic people discuss and manage noise sensitivity by analyzing posts and comments from two online autism forums. Noise sensitivity is one of the most prevalent sensory processing challenges for autistic individuals, experienced by 50-70% of autistic people, yet previous research has largely approached it from clinical and medical perspectives focused on "normalizing" autistic behaviors rather than centering autistic voices. The researchers deliberately chose forums created by and for autistic people to understand noise sensitivity from their perspective. Using elemental coding methods with both inductive and deductive approaches, the team analyzed 137 posts and 3,003 comments spanning December 2010 to October 2022. Forum users were categorized into five groups: autistic (60%), undiagnosed (3%), caregivers/family/friends (4%), community members (1%), and unknown (31%). The analysis revealed three major themes: sharing experiences of noise sensitivity, managing noise sensitivity, and disclosing autism. Users shared highly personal accounts of how repetitive, loud, low-frequency, and even unidentifiable sounds trigger responses ranging from distraction to sensory overload, meltdowns, anxiety attacks, and burnout. The forums served as spaces where autistic individuals could validate each other's experiences and provide peer support that they often could not find in their daily lives.
Key findings
Forum users described noise sensitivity as profoundly affecting their work, school, home life, and public spaces. Many reported that overstimulating environments like offices, classrooms, restaurants, and shopping malls were effectively inaccessible to them. Ear protection devices (earplugs, headphones, earmuffs) were the most commonly discussed coping strategy, but users raised concerns about social stigma, appearance, and safety when wearing them in public. Self-stimulatory behaviors (stimming), mindfulness, and environmental avoidance were also common coping mechanisms. A significant finding was the tension between personal agency and structural barriers — while autistic individuals could control their home environments, workplaces and schools required disclosure of their autism to receive accommodations. Disclosure was fraught with risk: forum users described it as potential "career suicide" and shared experiences of prejudice, invalidation, and marginalization. The forums themselves emerged as critical spaces where autistic people experienced agency and authority they lacked in physical environments, empowering them to help others and construct positive autistic identities aligned with the neurodiversity paradigm.
Relevance
This research provides essential foundational knowledge for anyone designing technology or environments for noise-sensitive individuals. The finding that 50-70% of autistic people experience noise sensitivity — and that current approaches focus on changing the individual rather than the environment — points to a significant gap in assistive technology and inclusive design. For practitioners, the implications are twofold. First, online communities designed for autistic people should implement designated posting channels and moderators to protect user agency while remaining inclusive. Second, there are opportunities for wearable and sensor-based assistive technologies that could monitor environmental sound levels, detect stress, and support personalized coping strategies without requiring disclosure. The study also highlights how structural inaccessibility of noisy environments constitutes a barrier comparable to physical inaccessibility, reinforcing that sensory accessibility should be a core consideration in environmental and digital design.
Tags: autism · noise sensitivity · sensory processing · online communities · assistive technology · neurodiversity · qualitative research · self-regulation