Research: The Effects of Weighted Vests on Appropriate In-Seat Behaviors of Elementary-Age Students with Autism and Severe to Profound Intellectual Disabilities

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Authored by Cox, AL, Gast DL, Luscre D., and Ayres K. in Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Volume 24, Issue 1, p. 17-26, (2009).

Article summary (posted Mar 31, 2009):

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy may be more helpful than weighted vests in keeping children with autism calm and in their seats.

Sensory therapies are one common occupational therapy approach to the treatment of autism. The study was designed to see if the use of weighted vests during a group activity would increase the amount of time that three school-aged children with autism would stay in their seats. The children were all diagnosed as having autism by three different people using different diagnostic tools. The deep pressure of the weighted vests did not help the children in this study remain calm, focused, and in their seats. The authors call for more research to see if these sensory integration therapies are able to help children in the classroom.

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applied behavior analysis (ABA), autism, occupational therapy (OT), school, sensory integration, therapy, treatment, weighted vest
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