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A Contemplative Biofeedback Intervention for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Feasibility of a Community-Based Treatment

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Abstract

As the number of diagnosed adults living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to grow, a lack of resources and lack of available interventions exacerbate their low quality of life, including low levels of education and employment, and high levels of co-morbid anxiety and depression. Here we build upon existing research showing the effectiveness of contemplative interventions on individuals with ASD, to provide a low-cost biofeedback-enhanced training which can be implemented by non-professional staff, and may help autistic individuals grasp abstract contemplative techniques. We hypothesize that the intervention will decrease participants’ anxiety and autism symptoms, and increase their self-awareness, self-determination, and empathy. Fourteen adults with ASD, residing in assisted living, were provided with 16 weekly half-hour contemplative-biofeedback sessions with non-professional trainers, in which they learned to reduce their arousal levels through combined biofeedback and contemplative techniques, and apply those to everyday life. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected pre- and post-intervention, to determine changes in participants’ self-awareness, self-determination, anxiety, autism symptoms, and empathy. Participants were capable of successfully improving their physiological arousal levels on the biofeedback setup, indicating feasibility of the technique. Further, we found initial indications for reduction in autism symptoms and increased self-determination. Qualitative reports by participants and counselors revealed that participants applied the techniques in many real-life situations, and these had far-ranging effects on their emotional regulation, work and social motivation, and self-determination. The study provides proof-of-concept for a low-cost, community-based intervention which can ameliorate the lives of adults with ASD.

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Abbreviations

ASD:

Autism spectrum disorder

BE:

Beit Ekstein

GSR:

Galvanic skin response

GAS:

Glasgow Anxiety Scale

HR:

Heart rate

HRV:

Heart rate variability

RMET:

Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test

SRS:

Social Responsiveness Scale

TAS:

Toronto Alexithymia Scale

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the participants, their counselors, and the BE staff for their invaluable help. Noa Massad and Neta Ben-Yossef, two BE group-home managers, were instrumental in study design and implementation. Hadas Harari trained several of our participants. Yulia Golland provided input on treatment and study design. Yael Zaksh assisted in data collection. The study was funded by Kochavi Family Foundation. RSB was funded by a Returning Scientist Fellowship of the Israel Ministry of Immigration and Absorption. The funding agencies were not involved at any stage of the study.

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Author notes

  1. Rachel S. Brezis and Amitai Levin are joint first-authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sagol Center for Brain and Mind, Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, P.O.Box 167, 46150, Herzliya, Israel

    Rachel S. Brezis, Amitai Levin & Nava Levit-Binnun

  2. Center for CBT-BF™, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Yuval Oded

  3. Beit-Ekstein Organization, Kerem Maharal, Israel

    Opher Zahavi

  4. Private Psychotherapy Practice, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Galit Gampel

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  1. Rachel S. Brezis
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  6. Nava Levit-Binnun
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Correspondence to Rachel S. Brezis.

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Brezis, R.S., Levin, A., Oded, Y. et al. A Contemplative Biofeedback Intervention for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Feasibility of a Community-Based Treatment. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 46, 141–149 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-021-09503-5

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