Can Dogs Prime Autistic Children for Therapy? Evidence from a Single Case Study.

Background and objectives: Canine-assisted therapy has been receiving growing attention as a means of aiding children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, only limited studies have been done and a great deal of literature related to this intervention is anecdotal. The present study aims at prov...

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Publicado en:Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine Vol. 17; no. 7; pp. 655 - 660
Autores principales: Silva, Karine, Correia, Rita, Lima, Mariely, Magalhães, Ana, de Sousa, Liliana
Formato: case study research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Jul2011
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        atl: Can Dogs Prime Autistic Children for Therapy? Evidence from a Single Case Study.
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          Silva, Karine
          Correia, Rita
          Lima, Mariely
          Magalhães, Ana
          de Sousa, Liliana
        affil: Departamento de Ciências do Comportamento, , Porto, .; Ânimas, Porto, .
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        subj:
          Pet Therapy In Infancy and Childhood
          Dogs In Infancy and Childhood
          Autism Spectrum Disorder Therapy
          Alternative Therapies In Infancy and Childhood
          Male
          Child
          Treatment Outcomes In Infancy and Childhood
          Human
          Portugal
          Videorecording
          Child Behavior Evaluation
          DSM
          Interrater Reliability
          Coding
          Data Analysis Software
          Quantitative Studies
          Pearson's Correlation Coefficient
          Descriptive Statistics
          Funding Source
          Child: 6-12 years
          Male
      ab: Background and objectives: Canine-assisted therapy has been receiving growing attention as a means of aiding children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, only limited studies have been done and a great deal of literature related to this intervention is anecdotal. The present study aims at providing additional quantitative evidence on the potential of dogs to positively modulate the behavior of children with ASD. Settings/location, subjects, and interventions: A 12-year-old boy diagnosed with ASD was exposed, at his usual treatment location (the Portuguese Association for Developmental Disorders and Autism at Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal), to the following treatment conditions: (1) one-to-one structured activities with a therapist assisted by a certified therapy dog, and (2) one-to-one structured activities with the same therapist alone (as a control). To accurately assess differences in the behavior of the participant between these treatment conditions, the therapist followed a strict research protocol. The behavior of the participant was continuously video-recorded during both treatment conditions for further analysis and comparison. Treatment outcomes: In the presence of the dog, the participant exhibited more frequent and longer durations of positive behaviors (such as smiling and positive physical contacting) as well as less frequent and shorter durations of negative behaviors (such as aggressive manifestations). Conclusions: These findings are in accordance with previous experimental work and provide additional support for the assertion that dogs can prime autistic children for therapy. Ultimately, this study may contribute toward a change for full acceptance of canine-assisted therapy programs within the medical milieu. Additional studies using a similar research protocol on more autistic children will certainly help professionals to work on the most effective methods to individually serve this population through canine-assisted interventions.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        case study
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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