Sensitivity to everyday sounds:

ASMR, misophonia, and autistic traits

Abstract

The autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) produces tingling sensations induced by sounds and accompanied by positive emotions, whereas in misophonia, everyday sounds provoke maladaptive behaviors and negative emotions. People with autism spectrum disorders sometimes suffer hyperacusis. However, it is unknown whether the three types of auditory-related reactions are interdependent. We investigated ASMR, misophonia symptoms, and autistic traits in a non-clinical population (N = 552; 18－60 years) through self-reporting measures. 58 % of young adults reported that they watched ASMR videos, whereas only 12 % of participants over age 30 did so. The prevalence of misophonia, previously unknown in Japan, was estimated at 54 %. Misophonia Questionnaire (MQ) scores increased with advancing age. Scores were higher for females than for males, although we did not find a gender difference in sensitivity to ASMR. Factor analyses of eight questionnaire subscales (n = 180) demonstrated that ASMR scores are linked with MQ scores, but not with Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) sub-scores. The close link between ASMR and misophonia may be based on auditory processes underlying hyperacusis.