MacLennan, Woolley, @21andsensory, Heasman, Starns, George and Manning (2022)

This participatory study explored the sensory experiences of autistic adults in public spaces, identifying places like supermarkets, public transport, and healthcare settings as particularly disabling due to overwhelming sensory input. Through analysis, six interconnected principles, Sensoryscape, Space, Predictability, Understanding, Adjustments, and Recovery, were found to influence how enabling or disabling an environment is. The findings highlight the need for businesses, policymakers, and designers to make sensory-informed adjustments to public spaces to improve accessibility and quality of life for autistic individuals.

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