A pilot study of the impact of smells on the behavior of level 3 autistic children and adolescents during an ongoing task

Abstract

The present pilot study aims to perform a first evaluation of the effect of smells on the behavior of autistic children and adolescents (level 3) while they are performing a routine task and are going through a more or less intense crisis situation. To do this, we developed a protocol adapted for a field study in the familiar environment (specialized school) of 8 autistic children and adolescents, where the effect of odors on the behaviors of screaming, agitation, and aggression was assessed. First, it was possible to carry out this protocol on this level 3 autistic population. Second, the results acquired on subjective data collected by the experimenter suggest that odors may reduce certain behavioral traits such as agitation or screaming. These data should be considered as proof-of-concept, with results that need to be confirmed in a larger sample of autistic individuals.