A Pilot Study of the Vayu Vest: Effects of Deep Pressure Stimulation on Performance and Physiological Arousal

Background:  Use of deep pressure touch has been used in clinical practice based on the assumption that it changes physiological arousal. This assumption is grounded in a variety of literature bases, include sensory integration theory.  Unfortunately evidence for use of deep pressure touch is severely lacking, and the research that does exist includes inconsistent application without any objective measures of physiological arousal.

Objectives:  To test the effects of deep pressure stimulation, applied through an FDA-approved Vayu Vest, on both performance and autonomic arousal in a normative sample. We hypothesized that deep pressure input would decrease sympathetic arousal and improve measures of attention/performance.

Methods:  Research was conducted in a laboratory setting at a public research university. A convenience sample of twenty two adults (mean age 23.2 yrs) participated in the study. The study design is a repeated measures, repeated baseline design in which participants complete a performance test before and after deep pressure application.  Deep pressure is self-applied through the Vayu Vest which is donned by the subject and inflated using a hand pump. Performance was measured by counting the number of errors committed while playing an ipad game, the Moron Test.  Autonomic data was collected using our Mindware system; seven electrodes were placed on the participants’ chest and back and two on the hand. Physiological variables include skin conductance level, mean heart rate, and respiratory rate.

Results:  Average performance on the first Moron Test was 7.0 errors; the average for the second test was 5.5 errors. Preliminary analysis of the skin conductance data show an average decrease from the start of the session when the vest is inflated (mean SCL 8.35) to the end of the session when the vest is deflated (mean SCL 5.05).

Conclusions:  The data suggest that wearing the Vayu Vest, even for a very short period of time (3 minutes), reduces sympathetic nervous system arousal and may positively impact performance. This research work-in-progress has the potential to provide objective data supporting the use of deep pressure touch in therapies for children with autism spectrum disorders.

Demonstration: We will offer the opportunity for conference attendees to don the Vayu Vest and have electrodes applied to their hand in order to demonstrate the use utility of our portable physiology equipment (Mindware System) and the Vest itself.  Participants will be able to observe real-time changes in arousal on a laptop computer before, during, and after vest-wear and while participating in a stressful ipad game.