Behavior
Pupillary Response as a Possible Brain Wave Analog in Children with ASD in Response to Stressful Stimulus Djellza Rrukiqi* Djellza Rrukiqi Gesulla Cavanaugh Diti Patel
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have poor response to stressors and have challenges with effective stress regulation, rooted in neurodevelopmental deficits. Heightened sensory sensitivities further complicate the ability to process information during stressful events, hindering recovery and potentially impacting future interactions. The symptoms of ASD are becoming even more problematic as the rate of the disorder continues to increase nationally every year. This pilot study used a time series analysis of pupil diameter and fixation data along with electroencephalogram (EEG) data from 3 children with ASD compared to 4 children with neurotypical development (CWND). The purpose of the pilot was to assess children’s response to a simulated stressor and their recovery post a relaxation phase. Data were collected using the Tobii Pro Nano, Bitbrain Versatile EEG, and the Masimo pulse oximeter. Tobii Pro lab and IBM SPSS V 27.1 were used to run multivariate analyses, including ANOVA. The results show that pupil diameter increased in both groups from baseline when exposed to stressors F(11, 26615)= 123.43, p = 0.00. While pupil responses were complementary with EEG measures and pulse rate, they varied in the ASD group even post the relaxation phase. The results from this pilot suggest that children with ASD have similar response to stressors compared to CWND but are more sensitive to stressful stimuli and have more unpredictable eye movement and physiological patterns; as such, consideration should be given to additional tools that can assess children’s full recovery from stressors.