Effects of Weighted Vests on the Engagement of Children With Developmental Delays and Autism

Abstract

The use of weighted vests for children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities is a common practice as part of sensory integration therapy programs. The purpose of the current investigation was to extend the research on the use of weighted vests for children with autism and developmental delays in a methodologically rigorous study. The study was conducted using an alternating treatment design.This allowed the comparison of three different conditions: weighted vest, vest with no weight (which served as a placebo), and no vest (which served as a baseline). The results showed no differentiation in engagement between conditions for any of the participants. Implications for practice and future research are provided.

Weighted Vests, Stereotyped Behaviors and Arousal in Children with Autism

“…A second possible explanation is that if the behaviors were modulatory, the input provided through the weighted vest was not sufficient to replace that provided by the behaviors. Weighted vests use is currently based on theory and precedent, and not empirical support (Reichow et al 2010). Assuming that weighted vests are effective for some children, the optimal amount of weight, wearing time, and response time are not known, and, therefore, may not have been represented in our protocol.…”

“…For example, weighted vests have decreased off-task behavior in some children with autism (Fertel-Daly et al 2001;Hodgetts et al in press), although most children have not shown improvements in this area (Hodgetts et al in press;Stephenson and Carter 2009). Weighted vests have been linked with decreased stereotyped behaviors in persons with autism (Fertel-Daly et al 2001;Myles et al 2004;Reichow et al 2010), although methodological weaknesses in the studies by Fertel-Daly et al (2001) and Myles et al (2004) were noted. Other research has found no effect (Deris et al 2006) or a negative effect (Kane et al 2004(Kane et al -2005 of weighted vests on stereotyped behaviors in persons with autism.…”

A systematic review of sensory-based treatments for children with disabilities

“…Forty-five records remained after titles and abstracts were screened for clearly irrelevant records. Two coders independently examined the full text of these 45 records, of which 30 met all inclusion criteria and were included in this review (Addison et al, 2012;Ayres, 1977;Bonggat & Hall, 2010;Bumin & Kayihan, 2001;Clark et al, 2008;Cox, Gast, Luscre, & Ayres, 2009;Davis et al, 2013;Devlin, Healy, Leader, & Hughes, 2011;Fallon, Mauer, & Neukirch, 1994;Fazlioglu & Baran, 2008;Hodgetts, Magill-Evans, & Misiaszek, 2011;Humphries, Snider, & McDougall, 1993;Jenkins, Fewell, & Harris, 1983;Leew, Stein, & Gibbard, 2010;Miller, Coll, & Schoen, 2007;Pfeiffer et al, 2011;Pirajev, Tangtrongchitr, Chandarasiri, Paothong, & Sukprasong, 2009;Polatajko, Law, Miller, Schaffer, & Macnab, 1991;Quigley, Peterson, Frieder, & Peterson, 2011;Reichow, Barton, Sewell, Good, & Wolery, 2009;Schaaf et al, 2013;Schilling & Schwartz, 2004 Umeda & Deitz, 2011;Uyanik, Bumin, & Kayihan, 2003;Van Rie & Heflin, 2009;Watling & Dietz, 2007;Wuang, Wang, Huang, & Su, 2009). …”

Comments on “Distinguishing science from pseudoscience in school psychology:” Evidence-based interventions for grandiose bragging

“…Weighted vests have been recommended as part of a treatment program based on sensory integration theory and are hypothesized to decrease the child's behavioral problems by regulating and organizing sensory input. Reichow, Barton, Sewell, Good, and Wolery (2010) conducted a single-case alternating treatment design study that tested the effects of the weighted belts on three children. The conditions compared in the design involved weighted vest, Table 2 Examples of heuristic biases.…”

“…It is important to note that multiple dependent measures were used in the Reichow et al (2010) investigation and all demonstrated no effects. Sometimes mixed results occur with some measures showing positive outcomes and some negative and these can vary across different conditions compared in the experiment.…”