The Effects of Deep Pressure Therapies and Antecedent Exercise on Stereotypical Behaviors of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

In the past decade, the number of children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has steadily increased. A common characteristic of ASD is the presence of stereotypical behaviors (e.g., hand flapping, echolalia), which some have suggested may be associated with heightened arousal and/or anxiety. The purpose of this study is to compare antecedent interventions that have been used to decrease stereotypical behaviors in three elementary students with ASD by modulating arousal. Using a single-case alternating treatments design across participants, we compared the relative efficacy of antecedent exercise with two forms of deep-pressure therapy (DPT; compression vest and weighted blanket). Results of the current study found mixed effects for the interventions, with DPT providing little reduction of stereotypical behaviors and antecedent exercise (riding a stationary bike) providing improvement in two of three cases. Implications for practitioners and future research are provided.