Weighted Vests, Stereotyped Behaviors & Arousal in Children with Autism

Research for Weighted Vest Autism Treatment:

Weighted vests are often recommended to help reduce stereotyped behaviors and arousal in children with autism. However, previous studies performed did not specifically focus on the impact of weighted vests on these behaviors. This 2011 study was conducted to determine the efficacy of weighted vests for treating stereotyped behaviors and arousal in children with autism spectrum disorders. The findings were published in an article titled Weighted Vests, Stereotyped Behaviors and Arousal in Children with Autism.

The study was a blinded and randomized trial. It included only 6 children with autism in a classroom setting. The researchers focused specifically on the effect of weighted vests on heart rate and stereotyped behaviors.

The results indicated that weighted vests were not effective at reducing motoric stereotyped behaviors in any of the study participants. They did note that one child experienced a decrease in verbal stereotyped behaviors with the use of a weighted vest. The researchers also found that weighted vests did not decrease heart rate in the study participants. In fact, one patient experienced an increase in heart rate.

The authors state that their research indicates that weighted vests are likely not effective as a treatment to decrease stereotyped behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder. They also state that weighted vests are likely not effective to decrease arousal in individuals with autism.

The article was published in June 2011 in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

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