Insights into Sensory and Relaxation Preferences to Inform the Design of Sensory Rooms for Autistic Adults

AbstractBackground: Sensory rooms provide a therapeutic environment designed to stimulate and balance an individual’s sensory experiences. Equipped with a variety of sensory-engaging equipment and materials, these rooms aim to facilitate relaxation, emotional regulation, and sensory integration. However, the specific relaxation techniques and essential elements required to create effective, calming spaces for autistic adults remain poorly understood. This study seeks to bridge this gap by investigating the unique sensory preferences and needs of autistic adults, with the objective of informing sensory room designs to better accommodate their specific requirements. Methods: An online mixed-methods survey, divided into three parts, was conducted. Part One utilised the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ-50) to screen for autistic traits and participants scoring above the threshold of 25 were invited for further studies. Part Two 1comprised a survey incorporating open-ended and closed questions to assess participants' sensory and relaxation preferences. Part Three also used an online survey and targeted individuals with prior sensory room exposure to assess their experiences. Qualitative results were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Of the 150 participants screened in Part One, 96 and 13 participants completed Part Two and Three, respectively. Results of the study found that whilst general themes can be identified, autistic adults use a diverse range of methods and sensory modulation techniques to facilitate relaxation. When asked about preferred relaxation activities, themes such as the use of active or passive media arose, as did spending time outdoors, in solitude, or engaging in creative activities. However, there was a considerable amount of diversity between participants regarding how they chose to interact with the items that comprise each theme. In terms of specific sensory modalities, visual, auditory, and somatosensory were identified as the primary senses that can affect relaxation, particularly through customised lighting or sounds, however, these preferences were highly person specific. Conclusions: Our findings emphasise the importance of taking an individualized approach when designing calming spaces for this demographic. The study reveals a wide range of methods autistic adults use to self-regulate, spanning customized environmental changes, sensory stimulation, nature, media engagement, and internal coping strategies. Additionally, suggestions for improving existing spaces focus on increasing personalization and control to better meet individual sensory needs.