RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Recording Stress Biomarkers in Autism Spectrum Disorders

This study aims to understand how stress affects children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many individuals with autism can have strong stress reactions that lead to challenging behaviours like agitation or self-injury, which are hard to predict. Researchers want to see how the body reacts to stress in everyday situations. They will look at fast body responses like heart rate changes, and slower ones like stress hormones, comparing young people with autism to those without it. Participants will wear a wrist device and give saliva samples, and researchers will observe them in their normal surroundings. The goal is to find patterns that help detect stress earlier, potentially leading to new ways to support individuals with autism.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Universite Cote d'Azur

Enrolment target

Start

23 Mar 2026

Estimated completion

01 Jan 2028

Autism Spectrum Disorder With Intellectual Deficiency

What is this study about?

This study is all about understanding how stress affects children and young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We know that many individuals with autism can experience intense stress, which might lead to difficult behaviours such as becoming agitated, withdrawing, becoming aggressive, or even hurting themselves. These behaviours can be very hard to anticipate, especially for those who find it difficult to communicate how they are feeling.

Researchers want to get a clearer picture of how the body responds to stress in real life, in everyday places like home or school. They will be looking at two main ways our bodies react: the fast responses, like changes in heart rate and sweating, and the slower responses, like the release of stress hormones. By comparing young people with autism to those who don't have autism, the study hopes to find out if their stress signals are different and if these body changes can help identify stress earlier.

The information gathered from this study could be incredibly helpful. If we can better understand the unique ways stress shows up in people with autism, it might lead to new technologies, like wearable devices, that could spot stress early on. This early warning could then help prevent difficult behaviours and offer better support for individuals with autism and their families.

Key takeaways

Learn how stress affects young people with autism in daily life.
Compares stress responses of young people with and without autism.
Uses a wearable wrist device and saliva samples to measure body signals.
Observations take place in natural settings like home or school.
Aims to help identify stress earlier to prevent challenging behaviours.
Does not involve new medications or clinic visits.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for young people aged between 3 and 22 years old. They are interested in two groups of participants.

One group includes young people who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and experience challenging behaviours, such as at least three difficult episodes each week. They also need to be attending a specific care institution or school that is involved in the study. For this group, we can't include anyone with known heart problems or hormone issues that might affect the measurements.

The second group is a 'comparison' group of young people without autism or other serious brain conditions. They should also be aged between 3 and 22 and not have any known heart or hormone problems. For all participants, a parent or legal guardian must agree in writing for them to take part. If the young person is old enough and able, their agreement will also be asked for.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Is your child aged between 3 and 22 years old?
Does your child have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (for the autism group)?
Does your child experience challenging behaviours (for the autism group)?
Does your child attend a school or care place involved in the study (for the autism group)?
Does your child NOT have known heart or hormone problems?
Are you able to provide written consent as a parent or guardian?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part, your child will be involved in monitoring their daily activities. There are no study visits to a clinic because researchers want to see how stress affects your child in their natural surroundings, like at home, school, or their care institution.

Your child will wear a small wrist device during the day. This device quietly measures things like their heart rate, how much they sweat, their skin temperature, and how much they move around. They will also need to provide saliva (spit) samples in the morning and afternoon. These samples are used to check their stress hormone levels. If your child has a particularly stressful event or a difficult behaviour, the researchers might ask for an additional saliva sample if possible.

Alongside this, a trained researcher will observe your child. They will note down any behaviours and what was happening around your child at that time. There are no new medications involved and no follow-up appointments after the monitoring period. The total duration of participation isn't specified, but it involves monitoring over a period of normal daily activities.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could help us learn more about how stress affects young people with autism, which might lead to better ways to support them in the future. The main benefit is contributing to valuable research that could ultimately help many people. There are very few risks; your child will wear a comfortable wrist device and give saliva samples, which are both minimally invasive. The observations will be during their normal daily life. You are free to withdraw your child from the study at any time without giving a reason, and it won't affect their care.

Locations (1)

CoBTEk
Verified postcode
Nice, France· Recruiting

Common questions

What is autism spectrum disorder?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong developmental condition that affects how people communicate and interact with the world around them.

What are 'stress biomarkers'?

Stress biomarkers are measurable signs in the body, like heart rate changes or hormone levels in saliva, that tell us how the body is reacting to stress.

Will my child have to visit a special clinic?

No, your child won't need to visit a clinic. All observations and measurements will happen during their usual daily activities, like at home or school.

Will my child have to take any new medications?

No, this study does not involve any new medications. It's about observing natural body responses to stress.

What happens to the information collected?

The information collected will be combined to understand patterns of stress. It will be used by researchers to learn more about stress in autism and potentially develop ways to detect it earlier.

How to find out more

Susanne THÜMMLER, MDC- HDR -PhD

susanne.thummler@univ-cotedazur.fr +33 4 92 03 03 26 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.