Electrodermal Patterns of Arousal in Children

Electrodermal Patterns of Arousal in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility of detecting physiological patterns of arousal to sensory inputs in children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Accordingly, two questions directed this methodological research investigation: (1) Is there a relationship between rest (tonic) and response (phasic) patterns of arousal among typically developing children and children with ASD?, and (2) Is there a difference in EDA response to sensation between typically developing children and children with ASD?

This methodological research design is a prospective exploratory test-retest design assessing the relationship between tonic and phasic Electrodermal Activity (EDA) variables. EDA during rest and in response to a variety of sensations was measured using skin conductance. Descriptive statistics summarized EDA dependent variable data using skin conductance response (SCR) magnitude, SCR amplitude, skin conductance level (SCL), non-specific response (NSR) and habituation (HAB). The data was used to assess the relationship between tonic and phasic patterns of arousal and compare response patterns between groups using the Sensory Challenge Protocol (SCP) in children with ASD and typically developing children (TD).

Inclusion Criteria: Boys ages 4 - 11 years old.

• Able to sit for 30 minutes and follow simple directions.
• Children with confirmed Autism Spectrum Disorder via School records or parent report.
• Typically developing children free of medical or neurological conditions.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medical or neurological conditions other than Autism.
• Hearing loss or visual impairments.
• Children taking medications known to affect arousal.
• Children who are not able to follow simple commands.