SPECIAL ISSUE: Use of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Reducing Anxiety Among College Students Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Brief Literature Review

An exciting yet challenging transition time for many young adults is the beginning of college. Each year approximately 49,000 individuals with autism complete high school; of those individuals, approximately 16,000 will pursue college. Although anxiety is not considered a core feature of autism, anxiety disorders are common among individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback methods are effective for managing anxiety. However, there are few studies in which the effectiveness of HRV biofeedback for decreasing anxiety has been evaluated among college students with autism. This systematic literature review focused on articles in which the effectiveness of HRV biofeedback therapy was evaluated among college students with autism and anxiety. This review revealed that the use of HRV biofeedback with autistic young adults remains largely unexplored. Findings from this review were used to propose how HRV biofeedback could be used with autistic college students.