Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in Young People With Autism

Biofeedback is a process that allows people to obtain information about their internal physiological reactions and thereby learn to control them. Researchers studying the brain and nervous system have found that regulating heart rate can help us to relax. Controlling heart rate using biofeedback has been shown in some studies to help people manage symptoms of stress such as anxiety and depression. This research will explore whether biofeedback can help people with autism or Asperger syndrome reduce reported symptoms of stress. Participants with a diagnosis of high functioning autism will be invited to use a biofeedback device that helps them to regulate their heart rate. People who enrol for the study will be randomly assigned different biofeedback devices. Training and support in the use of the device will be provided to participants. Assessment will involve obtaining questionnaire reports from participants and their carers about participant levels of anxiety, depression and sensory symptoms, demographics and lifestyle. These assessments will be carried out at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the study to see if there are any differences in how each participant\'s heart rate changes, whether there are any changes in participant\'s reported symptoms. Participants will be asked to give daily reports on their progress to monitor stress levels, usability of device and dropout rates. The overall aim is to determine whether biofeedback is a way of helping people with autism to reduce symptoms of stress.