Can wearing a sensory vest support anxiety? Help us find out!
Many autistic children have trouble processing sensory information, and this can make it difficult for them to regulate everyday emotions.
Specialised clothing has been developed to help keep the sensory system calm. We want to know if this may help children manage anxiety.
We need the help of autistic children and their caregivers to test the effects of a sensory vest on anxiety.
Who can participate?
Children who:
- Have a diagnosis of autism,
- Are aged 8 to 12 years old, and
- Have anxiety and sensory problems
What does study participation involve?
Participation in this study will last for 4 months total and involves:
- 5 in-person visits (caregiver and child) at CliniKids (Perth: Subiaco or Joondalup)
- Parent surveys (repeated over time)
- Answering a few questions via a phone app every second day
Your child will be given sensory vests to wear every day for 3 months. Participants in this study will be randomly allocated to:
- The treatment group (children receive the sensory vest)
- The placebo group (children receive the placebo vest)
For more information or to get involved
Click the link to register your expression of interest: https://redcap.link/svwa
You can also contact us via sensevest@thekids.org.au
Ethics: LTU HREC HEC25245/UWA HREC 2025/ET000711