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Purpose <p>There is limited research examining predictors of physiological functioning in autistic adolescents. The current study aimed to extend prior research by examining a variety of biological (body mass index, pubertal status, age, sex) and behavioral (intellectual functioning, receptive language, adaptive skills, autism-related behaviors) characteristics that may be associated with multiple indices of physiological functioning in a sample of autistic adolescents.</p> Methods <p>The sample consisted of 110 autistic adolescents (10–17 years of age) who completed a baseline measure of multiple indices of physiological functioning (respiratory sinus arrythmia, pre-ejection period, and skin conductance levels), and then watched a video of their parents engaging in a conflict discussion while their physiology was measured to capture physiological reactivity to an interpersonal stressor. Biological and behavioral characteristics of the adolescent were also measured.</p> Results <p>In multiple regression models, adolescent body mass index was a significant predictor of baseline levels of respiratory sinus arrythmia, age predicted baseline levels of pre-ejection period, and autism-related behaviors and adaptive functioning were significant predictors of reactivity levels of skin conductance.</p> Conclusion <p>The findings highlight the need to consider biological or behavioral covariates when designing future studies examining autistic adolescents’ physiological functioning.</p>

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Associations Between Autistic Adolescents’ Biological and Behavioral Characteristics and Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Functioning

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月7日

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  • Abbie Heidenreich,
  • Whitney Sullivan,
  • Chrystyna D. Kouros,
  • Mary Bubb,
  • Naomi V. Ekas

摘要

Purpose

There is limited research examining predictors of physiological functioning in autistic adolescents. The current study aimed to extend prior research by examining a variety of biological (body mass index, pubertal status, age, sex) and behavioral (intellectual functioning, receptive language, adaptive skills, autism-related behaviors) characteristics that may be associated with multiple indices of physiological functioning in a sample of autistic adolescents.

Methods

The sample consisted of 110 autistic adolescents (10–17 years of age) who completed a baseline measure of multiple indices of physiological functioning (respiratory sinus arrythmia, pre-ejection period, and skin conductance levels), and then watched a video of their parents engaging in a conflict discussion while their physiology was measured to capture physiological reactivity to an interpersonal stressor. Biological and behavioral characteristics of the adolescent were also measured.

Results

In multiple regression models, adolescent body mass index was a significant predictor of baseline levels of respiratory sinus arrythmia, age predicted baseline levels of pre-ejection period, and autism-related behaviors and adaptive functioning were significant predictors of reactivity levels of skin conductance.

Conclusion

The findings highlight the need to consider biological or behavioral covariates when designing future studies examining autistic adolescents’ physiological functioning.