Weighted Vests, Stereotyped Behaviors and Arousal in Children with Autism

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 41; no. 6; pp. 805 - 814
• Main Authors: Hodgetts, Sandra, Magill-Evans, Joyce, Misiaszek, John E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.06.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anatomy; Arousal; Arousal Patterns; Auditory Stimuli; Autism; Autistic children; Autistic Disorder - psychology; Autistic Disorder - therapy; Behavior; Behavior Modification; Behavior Problems; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child clinical studies; Child, Preschool; Children; Classrooms; Clothing - psychology; Clothing and dress; Comparative Analysis; Developmental disorders; Educational Assessment; Educational Change; Female; Heart beat; Heart rate; Human Body; Humans; Infantile autism; Intervention; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolism; Neurosciences; Occupational Therapy; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychomotor Performance; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychosis; Public Health; Random Allocation; Self Contained Classrooms; Sensory Integration; Social Reinforcement; Stereotyped Behavior; Stereotyped behaviour; Stimuli; Student Participation; Treatment Outcome; Visual Stimuli; Weight-Bearing; United States; Autism; Weighted vests; Sensory modulation; Stereotyped behaviors; Arousal; Human; Preschool age; Developmental disorder; Experimental study; School environment; Behavioral disorder; Heart rate; School age; Hemodynamics; Child; Stereotypy
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-010-1104-x

The homeostatic theory of stereotyped behaviors assumes that these behaviors modulate arousal. Weighted vests are used to decrease stereotyped behaviors in persons with autism because the input they provide is thought to serve the same homeostatic function. This small-n, randomized and blinded study measured the effects of wearing a weighted vest on stereotyped behaviors and heart rate for six children with autism in the classroom. Weighted vests did not decrease motoric stereotyped behaviors in any participant. Verbal stereotyped behaviors decreased in one participant. Weighted vests did not decrease heart rate. Heart rate increased in one participant. Based on this protocol, the use of weighted vests to decrease stereotyped behaviors or arousal in children with autism in the classroom was not supported.