Heart rate variability biofeedback as an anxiety intervention for college students with autism spectrum disorder.

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) attending higher education face an increased risk for the development of anxiety disorders. This can lead to poor academic outcomes, social difficulties, health problems, economic struggles, and other lifelong challenges. Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Therapy (HRVBT) is a technique with preliminary positive results for the treatment of anxiety in individuals with ASD, although there is a need for more research. This pilot study explores the effect of using HRVBT to reduce anxiety for a cohort of autistic college students (N = 4) using a multiple baseline across participants design. Participants received 20-minute HRVBT sessions weekly over the span of a ten-week period. Heart rate variability (HRV) and self-reported "state" (transitory) anxiety were measured to gauge both psychophysiological and perceived levels of anxiety. Measures of psychophysiological anxiety indicated improvements in HRV that are typically associated with improvement in anxiety level. Participants saw reductions in sub-optimal levels of HRV and improvements in optimal levels of HRV as the study progressed. However, participants did not report lower levels of state anxiety. As expected, all participants in the study experienced statistically significant improvements in their HRV after receiving the intervention. Contrary to expectations, HRVBT increased variability in self-reports and did not produce an appreciable decrease in perceived state anxiety. • Autistic college students are at an increased risk for anxiety disorders. • Anxiety disorders are a strong predictor of reduced graduation rates in this population. • Anxiety interventions like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are less effective for individuals with ASD. • Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Therapy has the potential to be an effective anxiety intervention for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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