What do we want to know?
We are currently recruiting autistic youth and adults who have specific issues with sound sensitivity. We are interested in learning more about how autistic individuals cope with sound sensitivity, how sensitivity has impacted their lives, and physiological and behavioral reactions to certain sounds played through a set of headphones and through a virtual reality (VR) headset. Sound sensitivity includes being over-reactive to sounds in general, or certain types of sounds.
Who are we looking for?
* Autistic youth and adults with a diagnosis (ages 12+) living in the Lower Mainland area
* Must experience over-reactivity to sounds in general and/or certain types of sounds
What to expect:
* Participation in this study will be divided into two sessions:
o Session 1: You will be asked to complete online questionnaires about your experiences with sound sensitivity. For youth participants, we will also ask that a caregiver complete a set of online questionnaires. This Session will take approximately 1 hour to complete.
o Session 2: You will listen to certain sounds at different volumes through a set of headphones to determine your comfort level with these sounds. You will also be asked to wear a virtual reality headset (VR) to become immersed in virtual environments that contain sounds, and you will be asked to rate your comfort levels with these sounds. We will then use our new technology to help with sound sensitivity and ask you for your input. You will also complete a brief cognitive task. This Session will take approximately 2 hours to complete.
* Session 1 is completed online, and Session 2 is completed in-person at SFU’s Burnaby campus.
* We are offering $30/hr to participants and $20/hr to parents of youth participants for their participation.
How to sign up: For more information or if you are interested in participating, please contact Meryssa at addl@sfu.ca.
Principal Investigators: Dr. Elina Birmingham [ebirming@sfu.ca], Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Dr. Grace Iarocci [giarocci@sfu.ca] Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.
Ethics Protocol H19-00159
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