Examining the Effects of a Service-Trained Facility Dog on Stress in Children Undergoing Forensic Interview for Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse.

Disclosure of child sexual abuse can be a stressful experience for the child. Gaining a better understanding of how best to serve the child, while preserving the quality of their disclosure, is an ever-evolving process. The data to answer this question come from 51 children aged 4-16 (M = 9.1, SD = ...

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Published in:Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 305 - 321
Main Authors: Krause-Parello, Cheryl A., Thames, Michele, Ray, Colleen M., Kolassa, John
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Apr2018
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      jtl: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse
      issn: 10538712
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      dt: Apr2018
      vid: 27
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        10.1080/10538712.2018.1443303
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        atl: Examining the Effects of a Service-Trained Facility Dog on Stress in Children Undergoing Forensic Interview for Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse.
      aug:
        au:
          Krause-Parello, Cheryl A.
          Thames, Michele
          Ray, Colleen M.
          Kolassa, John
        affil: College of Nursing, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Child Abuse, Sexual
          Interviews
          Pet Therapy
          Stress, Psychological
          Human
          Child, Preschool
          Child
          Adolescence
          Control Group
          Child, Preschool: 2-5 years
          Child: 6-12 years
          Adolescent: 13-18 years
      ab: Disclosure of child sexual abuse can be a stressful experience for the child. Gaining a better understanding of how best to serve the child, while preserving the quality of their disclosure, is an ever-evolving process. The data to answer this question come from 51 children aged 4-16 (M = 9.1, SD = 3.5), who were referred to a child advocacy center in Virginia for a forensic interview (FI) following allegations of sexual abuse. A repeated measures design was conducted to examine how the presence of a service-trained facility dog (e.g. animal-assisted intervention (AAI) may serve as a mode of lowering stress levels in children during their FIs. Children were randomized to one of the two FI conditions: experimental condition (service-trained facility dog present-AAI) or control condition (service-trained facility dog not present- standard forensic interview). Stress biomarkers salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, immunoglobulin A (IgA), heart rate, and blood pressure, and Immunoglobulin A were collected before and after the FI. Self-report data were also collected. Results supported a significant decrease in heart rate for those in the experimental condition (<italic>p</italic> = .0086) vs the control condition (<italic>p</italic> = .4986). Regression models revealed a significant decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the experimental condition (<italic>p</italic> = .03285) and (<italic>p</italic> = .04381), respectively. Statistically significant changes in alpha-amylase and IgA were also found in relation to disclosure and type of offense. The results of this study support the stress reducing effects of a service-trained facility dog for children undergoing FI for allegations of child sexual abuse.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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