ArticleJMIR formative research2022
Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback to Treat Anxiety in Young People With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Findings From a Home-Based Pilot Study.
Article in JMIR formative research, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04955093 (An Investigation Into the Use of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in People With Autistic Spectrum Disorder), which is not on this map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
An Investigation Into the Use of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in People With Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- Wearable Solutions Using Physiological Signals for Stress Monitoring on Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Systematic Literature Review.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Pooled it
- Heart rate variability biofeedback in adults with chronic spinal cord injury: a randomised feasibility study.BMC neurology · 2025Trial
- The Physiological and Clinical-Behavioral Effects of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in Adolescents with Autism: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Applied psychophysiology and biofeedback · 2024Trial
- Application of neurobiofeedback therapy technology on social skills and emotion regulation in children with autism spectrum disorder.World journal of psychiatry · 2025Article
- Cardiac Autonomic Measures Predict Clinician-Rated Anxiety and Behavioral Response to Propranolol in Autistic Children and Young Adults.Journal of personalized medicine · 2025Article
- Heart rate variability biofeedback to reduce anxiety in autism spectrum disorder - a mini review.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPeople with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) frequently experience high levels of anxiety. Despite this, many clinical settings do not provide specialist ASD mental health services, and demand for professional support frequently outstrips supply. Across many sectors of health, investigators have explored digital health solutions to mitigate demand and extend the reach of professional practice beyond traditional clinical settings.
objectiveThis critical appraisal and pilot feasibility study examines heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback as an approach to help young people with ASD to manage anxiety symptoms outside of formal settings. The aim is to explore the use of portable biofeedback devices to manage anxiety, while also highlighting the risks and benefits of this approach with this population.
methodsWe assessed the feasibility of using home-based HRV biofeedback for self-management of anxiety in young people with ASD. We adopted coproduction, involving people with ASD, to facilitate development of the study design. Next, a separate pilot with 20 participants with ASD (n=16, 80% male participants and n=4, 20% female participants, aged 13-24 years; IQ>70) assessed adoption and acceptability of HRV biofeedback devices for home use over a 12-week period. Data were collected from both carers and participants through questionnaires and interviews; participants also provided single-lead electrocardiogram recordings as well as daily reports through smartphone on adoption and use of their device.
resultsPre-post participant questionnaires indicated a significant reduction in anxiety in children (t
conclusionsHRV biofeedback devices have shown promise in this pilot study. There is now a need for larger evaluation of biofeedback to determine which delivery methods achieve the greatest effect for people with ASD.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04955093; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04955093.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.