SenSO
SenSO (Sensory and Neurodevelopmental Studies of Oulu University) investigates sensory processing as a key mechanism shaping perception, behavior, and mental health. The group explores how sensory processing profiles, particularly sensory over-responsivity (SOR), relate to neurodevelopmental traits and psychiatric symptomatology across the lifespan.
Grounded in dimensional frameworks such as the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP), SenSO aims to identify transdiagnostic mechanisms that explain shared vulnerabilities and adaptive strengths across autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), learning disorders, and intellectual disability (ID).
Ongoing Research
1. Early Development and Childhood Mental Health
- Associations between sensory over-responsivity (SOR) and internalizing/externalizing symptomatology among 5–12-year-olds
- The impact of neurotype on aggressive behavior and emotion regulation in children
- SOR and school refusal as indicators of environmental mismatch and stress regulation
2. Lifestyle, Environment, and Regulation
- Effects of screen time, physical activity, and sleep patterns on sensory modulation and mental health in children and adults
- The role of movement and activity in supporting sensory and emotional regulation across the lifespan
3. Adult Neurodiversity and Adaptation
- Sensory and neurodevelopmental traits among highly educated women, and their associations with functional overload, including workplace distress, avoidance of sensory-demanding situations, and psychiatric symptomatology
- Proprioceptive and vestibular processing in adult female ADHD
Grounded in dimensional frameworks such as the Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP), SenSO aims to identify transdiagnostic mechanisms that explain shared vulnerabilities and adaptive strengths across autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), developmental coordination disorder (DCD), learning disorders, and intellectual disability (ID).
Ongoing Research
1. Early Development and Childhood Mental Health
- Associations between sensory over-responsivity (SOR) and internalizing/externalizing symptomatology among 5–12-year-olds
- The impact of neurotype on aggressive behavior and emotion regulation in children
- SOR and school refusal as indicators of environmental mismatch and stress regulation
2. Lifestyle, Environment, and Regulation
- Effects of screen time, physical activity, and sleep patterns on sensory modulation and mental health in children and adults
- The role of movement and activity in supporting sensory and emotional regulation across the lifespan
3. Adult Neurodiversity and Adaptation
- Sensory and neurodevelopmental traits among highly educated women, and their associations with functional overload, including workplace distress, avoidance of sensory-demanding situations, and psychiatric symptomatology
- Proprioceptive and vestibular processing in adult female ADHD
Research group information
Unit and faculty
Contact information
Research group leader
- YliopistonlehtoriKatja Jussila
Research group description
The SenSO group examines sensory processing as a transdiagnostic mechanism linking neurodevelopmental variation and psychiatric outcomes. Research focuses on how sensory processing differences relate to adaptive functioning, mental health, and psychiatric symptomatology across development.
Current projects address developmental, environmental, and gender-related aspects of sensory processing, including lifestyle factors such as screen time, sleep, and physical activity, as well as functional overload and workplace distress among highly educated women. SenSO’s work aims to clarify shared mechanisms within the neurodevelopmental spectrum and to inform evidence-based strategies for early identification, prevention, and intervention.