Parasympathetic activities of participants using inflatable deep pressure vest

Deep pressure therapy is widely used, mimicking the effects of a hug to stimulate calm and relieve stress and anxiety. However, most deep pressure tools do not provide pressure recommendations and only suggest a desired pressure, which is not suitable for children and/or children with special needs, such as those with ASD, who cannot control the device independently. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of low- and high-pressure levels in an inflatable deep pressure vest in stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system. A pre-post crossover experimental design was employed to assess the impact of low-pressure versus high-pressure settings. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and skin conductance (SC) were utilized as primary biomarkers of the autonomic nervous system, with data analyzed through statistical approaches.