Effects of pet dogs for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families: expectations versus reality

Wright, Hannah, Hall, Sophie, Hames, Annette , Hardiman, Jessica, Burgess, Aaron, Mills, Richard and Mills, Daniel (2016) Effects of pet dogs for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families: expectations versus reality. Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin, 4 (2). ISSN .

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Abstract

Previous studies have examined the specific benefits of therapy and assistance dogs on children with autism, but until recently only anecdotes existed concerning the benefits of pet dogs. We conducted structured interviews with 40 parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to investigate the perceived impact of pet dogs. Half the sample (20) owned a pet dog and half the sample was looking to acquire one. Restrictions associated with dog ownership were underestimated, whilst enjoyment, fun and improvements in communication and social interaction were overestimated by the non-owners, indicating important areas where expectations are unlikely to be met. These areas represent important factors to consider when deciding whether to acquire a pet dog in families living with ASD, and as such is of interest to a broad audience including clinicians, veterinarians and parents.

Keywords:Autism spectrum disorders, Pet dogs, Domestic animals, Animal therapy, NotOAChecked
Subjects:L Social studies > L510 Health & Welfare
D Veterinary Sciences, Agriculture and related subjects > D300 Animal Science
Divisions:College of Science > School of Life Sciences
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ID Code:24001
Deposited On:02 Sep 2016 10:28

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