Animal-Assisted Interventions for School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Research has indicated beneficial effects of Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs) for children with Autism. However, there is a dearth of meta-analyses and the findings are often contradictory. The current meta-analysis assesses the effectiveness of AAIs on social interaction, communication and global Autism symptoms. A total of 1447 studies were returned, of which 16 (n = 489) met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analyses indicated small effect sizes related to improvements in social interaction and communication and reduction in ASD symptoms. Additionally, there was little evidence for a relationship between dosage and effect size. In conclusion, AAIs appear to offer small improvements in social interaction and communication for children with Autism, which may be comparable to activities used in active control conditions.

Brief Report: Above and Beyond Safety: Psychosocial and Biobehavioral Impact of Autism-Assistance Dogs on Autistic Children and their Families

“…Frequently, treatment plans not only need to address core ASD symptoms, but also a variety of co-occurring developmental, psychiatric, neurologic, or medical diagnoses that further impact daily functioning and quality of life (Masi et al, 2017 ). One approach with the potential to address a number of concerns for autistic individuals and their families is the incorporation of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) 1 into home, school, and hospital settings (Dimolareva & Dunn, 2020 ; Esposito et al, 2011 ; Johnson et al, 2002 ); several studies have reported positive effects when human-animal interactions (HAI) have been integrated into ASD therapies (Dimolareva & Dunn, 2020 ; Droboniku & Mychailyszyn, 2021 ; Funahashi et al, 2014 ; OHaire et al, 2013 ). Anecdotal accounts have also accrued attesting to the benefits of well-trained autism-assistance dogs (AADs) who engage with their human partners on a daily basis.…”

Effects of Dog-Assisted Therapy on the Physical Function and Communication Skills of Adults with Autism: A Study Protocol for a Controlled Study

“…Given the demonstrated importance of good psychomotor maintenance in achieving autonomy in ADL and quality of life, it is convenient to propose treatments that favor the development of these capacities, especially in people with neurodevelopmental disorders. AAI may be an adequate alternative to improve social interaction and communication skills since the animal acts as a social facilitator and a powerful motivator to carry out activities [15,53,54], directing this technique towards psychomotor and social objectives may be a quick and effective method for enhancing the autonomy of users with ASD and improving their quality of life.…”

Occupational therapy incorporating dogs for autistic children and young people: Parent perspectives

“…One Australian pilot randomised control trial (RCT) was undertaken to investigate AAT in an occupational therapy program and despite positive outcomes in the AAT group related to time spent on tasks and individual goals being met, results were not significant (Hill et al, 2020). These results demonstrate positive outcomes associated with AAT, however recent systematic reviews suggest that the efficacy of the approach requires further investigation (Dimolareva and Dunn, 2021;Hardy and Weston, 2020;Hill et al, 2019).…”

“…Despite growing research focused on outcomes of AAT (Charry-Sánchez et al, 2018; Dimolareva and Dunn, 2021; Hardy and Weston, 2020; Hill et al, 2019; O’Haire, 2017), there is some emerging evidence about the parent perspective of AAT interventions, how AAT can contribute to their goals for their autistic children, and what child and family outcomes are important to parents. The parent perspective is a critical component as parents are well placed to provide nuanced insights about their children’s participation in AAT.…”