Not getting social cues and being highly sensitive to noises are typical symptoms of which diagnosis?

• A. Depression
• B. Anxiety
• C. Oppositional Defiant Disorder
• D. Autism Spectrum Disorder

Answer: (D)

Not getting social cues and being highly sensitive to noises point to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism involves challenges with social communication and interaction, such as interpreting gestures, facial expressions, and tone of voice, along with differences in sensory processing—many individuals experience heightened sensitivity to sounds. When these two features appear together, they strongly align with ASD.

Depression centers on persistent low mood and related functioning, not a distinctive pattern of social cue interpretation or sensory processing. Anxiety can include social worry, but the core issue is fear and avoidance, rather than a fundamental difficulty reading social signals or processing sensory input. Oppositional Defiant Disorder focuses on a pattern of defiant and oppositional behavior toward authority figures, not the social-communication and sensory-profile characteristics typical of autism.