Clinical trial of the effects of therapy dogs on social behavior in group social skills instruction with children with autism

项目概要/摘要 动物辅助干预（AAI）可以增加自闭症谱系障碍儿童的社交行为 （ASD），尽管发生这种情况的机制仍然难以捉摸。该项目的中心目标是 确定狗对自闭症谱系障碍儿童社交增强作用的机制。我们会 将治疗犬纳入已建立的循证团体社交技能指导计划中 患有自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的儿童，使用受控实验设计进行受试者间和受试者内比较 生理和行为结果测量。我们预测治疗犬具有特定且可测量的 对儿童社会行为的影响，并且这种影响是通过可识别的机制获得的。具体来说， 我们假设（1）将治疗犬纳入团体社交技能指导将导致减少 与传统的团体指导相比，压力和社会行为得到改善； (2)反复暴露于 跨疗程的治疗犬会增加孩子与狗共度时光的偏好，并会增加 狗的社交增强作用； (3) 治疗师会感受到更少的压力，参与更多的活动 对孩子们的社交和亲和行为，并在课程中提供更高质量的指导 包括狗。我们将招收72名患有自闭症谱系障碍的儿童参加由6名老师授课的团体社交技能指导课程 治疗师。每个孩子将经历为期 10 周、由 8 名学生组成的班级，其中 (a) 前 5 周将 涉及治疗犬，(b) 过去 5 周将涉及治疗犬，或 (c) 课程不会涉及治疗 狗。治疗师将在项目的三个周期中以不同的方式重复教授课程。 孩子们，轮流经历每种情况。社交行为、压力行为、心率、皮肤电活动、 将评估和比较儿童和治疗师的唾液皮质醇浓度 条件。孩子对狗和同伴的社会行为的方向和质量的变化 还将评估治疗师在有狗治疗期间与无狗治疗期间的指导情况。的 这项研究的结果将显着增强当前针对患有此病的个体的干预措施 自闭症谱系障碍。

Project Summary/Abstract Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) can increase social behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although the mechanism by which this occurs remains elusive. The central goal of this project is to identify the mechanisms involved in the social-enhancing effect of dogs on children with ASD. We will incorporate therapy dogs into an established evidence-based, group social skills instruction program for children with ASD, using a controlled experimental design with between- and within- subject comparisons and physiological and behavioral outcome measures. We predict therapy dogs to have a specific and measurable effect on children's social behavior and that this effect is gained through identifiable mechanisms. Specifically, we hypothesize that (1) an integration of therapy dogs into group social skills instruction will result in reduced stress and improved social behavior compare to traditional group instruction; (2) repeated exposure to the therapy dog across sessions will increase a child's preference for spending time with the dog and will increase the social-enhancing effects of the dog; and (3) that the therapists will experience less stress, engage in more social and affiliative behavior towards the children, and deliver higher quality instruction during sessions that include dogs. We will enroll 72 children with ASD into group social skills instruction classes taught by 6 therapists. Each child will experience a 10-week, 8-student class in which either (a) the first 5 weeks will involve a therapy dog, (b) the last 5 weeks will involve the therapy dog, or (c) the class will not involve a therapy dog. The therapists will teach the courses repeatedly across the three cycles of the program with different children, rotating through each condition. Social behavior, stress behavior, heart rate, electrodermal activity, and salivary cortisol concentrations of children and therapists will be assessed and compared across conditions. The direction of the children's social behavior towards the dog and peers and the changes in quality of instruction of therapists during dog sessions compared to no-dog sessions will also be assessed. The outcomes of this research will lead to significant enhancements in current interventions for individuals with ASD.