Dress for Success: The Effect of Compression Clothing on Attention in ASD

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Attention, Learning, Memory

Abstract

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with deficits in social communication as well as restricted and repetitive behaviors. Most recent estimates from the Center for Disease Control suggests that 1 in 54 children will develop an Autism Spectrum Disorder (2020). Although not an official criterion of the diagnosis, individuals with Autism often experience sensory processing issues. Compression clothing has been marketed as a way to provide support for individuals who have sensory sensitivities. Although these products often claim to relieve anxiety and increase attention, little research has been conducted to establish the effectiveness of these tools.
In this study, 9 children with Autism were observed during 10 of their Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy sessions. Participants were randomly assigned to wear the compression clothing for either their first five therapy sessions or the last five sessions. During each session, therapists recorded 3, 5-minute video segments (at the beginning, middle, and end of the session). The therapists were instructed not to deviate from their normal therapy schedule.
Each 5-minute video clip was divided into 15 second intervals and instances of inattention were coded for each interval. Inattention was characterized as motor (any physical movements, unrelated to the assigned task, such as standing up, hand flapping, talking, or fidgeting), passive (instances when the child’s eye movement focuses on something unrelated to the task, such as looking away, making eye contact with other people or objects, or closing their eyes), and/or visual behavior (vocalizations, not required during the task, such as screaming, crying, humming, or inappropriate utterances). Proportions of each type of inattention were created by dividing the total number of intervals that included the behavior (e.g., motor inattention) by the total number of observable 15-second segments that were coded (in the 5-minute video clip). For each child, the proportions of all 5-minute video clips were averaged first for the compression condition and then for the control condition.
Three paired samples t test were conducted to determine if attention was affected by the presence of the compression garments (Table 1). The findings suggest no difference in passive, motor, or verbal attention due to the compression clothing.
Results from this study suggest that the use of compression clothes does not take away from children’s attention during their therapy sessions. In the future, more research is needed to determine if compression affects other issues such as anxiety, hyperactivity, and stress, in children with Autism.

Authors

• Hanna Kent, Clemson University
  Presenting Author

• Jennifer Bailey Grandits, Clemson University
  Non-Presenting Author