Animals may act as social buffers: Skin conductance arousal in children with autism spectrum disorder in a social context

O’Haire, Marguerite E.; McKenzie, Samantha J.; Beck, Alan M.; Slaughter, Virginia

doi:10.1002/dev.21310

Cited by 99 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Studies have also found that the presence of an animal during therapy can decrease problem behaviors such as physical and verbal aggression (17), while increasing positive emotional expression (15, 17, 18). These findings extend to the school setting, where interacting with guinea pigs has been reported to increase social interactions (19) and reduce physiological arousal (20) in children with ASD.…”

supporting

confidence: 54%

Assessing Preferences for Animals in Children with Autism: A New Use for Video-Based Preference Assessment

et al. 2017

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The inclusion of animals into interventions for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a growing practice known as animal-assisted intervention (AAI). The choice of the animal to include in an intervention is often solely up to the interventionist and depends on their experience, subjective judgment, and ease of access to different animals. For individuals with ASD who are non-verbal and unable to indicate preferred stimuli or activities, incorporating preference into interventions has been linked to increases in positive behaviors and enhanced quality of life. We propose that animal choice based on a participant’s preference may enhance the experience of AAI and maximize its outcomes. A common technique used to reliably determine preferred interactions and activities in interventions for children with ASD is a stimulus preference assessment. The video-based multiple-stimulus without replacement (MSWO) procedure, in particular, allows for discrimination of complex stimuli that could not feasibly be presented all at once, which is the case when choosing an animal. Based on the well-documented reliability of this technique in the field of applied behavior analysis, we propose that a future direction in AAI is utilizing video-based MSWO to guide animal selection.

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confidence: 54%

Assessing Preferences for Animals in Children with Autism: A New Use for Video-Based Preference Assessment

et al. 2017

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“…The other half of the studies (n=12, 50%) compared the intervention to a control group (Bass et al, 2009; Beetz 2013; Boshoff et al, 2015; Gabriels et al, 2012; Garcia-Gomez et al, 2014; Hamama et al, 2011; Havener et al, 2001; Jenkins et al, 2013; Kern et al, 2011; O’Haire et al, 2015; Pendry et al, 2014; Vagnoli et al, 2015). …”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal-assisted therapies for youth with or at risk for mental health problems: A systematic review

Hoagwood

Acri

Morrissey

et al. 2016

Applied Developmental Science

120

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To systematically review experimental evidence about animal-assisted therapies (AAT) for children or adolescents with or at risk for mental health conditions, we reviewed all experimental AAT studies published between 2000–2015, and compared studies by animal type, intervention, and outcomes. Methods: Studies were included if used therapeutically for children and adolescents (≤21 years) with or at risk for a mental health problem; used random assignment or a waitlist comparison/control group; and included child-specific outcome data. Of 1,535 studies, 24 met inclusion criteria. Results: Of 24 studies identified, almost half were randomized controlled trials, with 9 of 11 published in the past two years. The largest group addresses equine therapies for autism. Conclusion: Findings are generally promising for positive effects associated with equine therapies for autism and canine therapies for childhood trauma. The AAT research base is slim; a more focused research agenda is outlined.

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“…Such research demonstrating the benefits of animals with clinical populations has been carried out primarily with dogs [19], but has also examined the impact of cats [20], horses [21], dolphins [10], guinea pigs [22], and the robotic dog Aibo [23]. The mental health benefits of interacting with animals outside the therapeutic environment have been studied less—in part because of the difficulties of carrying out methodologically rigorous research outside the controlled environment of therapy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the differences between pet and non-pet owners: Implications for human-animal interaction research and policy

et al. 2017

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There is conflicting evidence about whether living with pets results in better mental and physical health outcomes, with the majority of the empirical research evidence being inconclusive due to methodological limitations. We briefly review the research evidence, including the hypothesized mechanisms through which pet ownership may influence health outcomes. This study examines how pet and non-pet owners differ across a variety of socio-demographic and health measures, which has implications for the proper interpretation of a large number of correlational studies that attempt to draw causal attributions. We use a large, population-based survey from California administered in 2003 (n = 42,044) and find that pet owners and non-pet owners differ across many traits, including gender, age, race/ethnicity, living arrangements, and income. We include a discussion about how the factors associated with the selection into the pet ownership group are related to a range of mental and physical health outcomes. Finally, we provide guidance on how to properly model the effects of pet ownership on health to accurately estimate this relationship in the general population.

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Animals may act as social buffers: Skin conductance arousal in children with autism spectrum disorder in a social context

Cited by 99 publications

References 41 publications

Assessing Preferences for Animals in Children with Autism: A New Use for Video-Based Preference Assessment

Assessing Preferences for Animals in Children with Autism: A New Use for Video-Based Preference Assessment

Animal-assisted therapies for youth with or at risk for mental health problems: A systematic review

Exploring the differences between pet and non-pet owners: Implications for human-animal interaction research and policy

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