Characterization of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder’s Interactions with a Service Dog During Their First Encounter

Abstract

Reports reveal various benefits of animals -especially dogs -for children with Autism Spectrum disorders (ASD). However, not all children with ASD display the same interest in animals. Dogs are the most common species within family households and the only species to be used as service animals. They are also the most commonly used species in animal assisted interventions. Despite the key role that both the interest and the behaviours displayed towards dogs might play in their benefits to children with ASD, no studies have yet investigated this aspect using direct observation. Applying an ethological approach, this study aimed to explore and characterize how children with ASD interact with a service dog during a first encounter. Video recordings of 20 children with ASD in free interactions during their first encounter with a service dog were analyzed. Our results indicate that children with ASD are attracted to service dogs, but we found important interindividual variations. We distinguished two main behavioural interaction profiles (one more distal with the service dog, and the other more proximal and attracted to the service dog). Our results show that the children with ASD's interaction strategies vary according to their age and ASD severity: younger children made fewer physical contacts with the service dog, gazed less at it and displayed less care behaviours, while children with severer ASD seemed to rely on a smaller behavioural repertoire when interacting with a service dog. This study is the first to characterise how children with ASD interact with a service dog during their first encounter. These findings open onto future research concerning the importance of a child with ASD's attraction to and behaviour in the presence of an animal, as well as of the impacts of a child's characteristics (i.e., age, ASD severity, and sensory processing disorder) to be able to improve programmes for animal-assisted interventions.

Effects of service dogs on children with ASD’s symptoms and parents’ well-being: On the importance of considering those effects with a more systemic perspective

“…In their process of attributing a service dog to families of children with ASD, organizations such as the Mira Foundation and the Handi’Chiens Asssociation are very attentive to the pairing of the child and the SD (e.g., compatible personalities, the SD shows behaviors adapted to the child’s specificities, the child shows attraction to the SD) in order to ensure optimal chances that both will build a significant relationship. This attention to pairing seems relevant in order to ensure that the integration of their SD leads to the expected benefits, and seems even more important considering that not all children with ASD show the same interest toward SDs and not all develop a significant relationship with their SD [ 73 – 75 , 78 , 80 , 104 ]. Various factors, including age and the severity of ASD, have been identified as contributing to the variability in the interest and interaction of children with ASD toward animals [ 80 , 105 ].…”

“…This attention to pairing seems relevant in order to ensure that the integration of their SD leads to the expected benefits, and seems even more important considering that not all children with ASD show the same interest toward SDs and not all develop a significant relationship with their SD [ 73 – 75 , 78 , 80 , 104 ]. Various factors, including age and the severity of ASD, have been identified as contributing to the variability in the interest and interaction of children with ASD toward animals [ 80 , 105 ]. For example, in their study on pets in the families of children with ASD, Grandgeorge et al [ 80 ] found that children with ASD who experienced the arrival of a pet in their homes at 4–5 years of age developed a stronger relationship with their pet, and show a significant improvement in their prosocial behaviors; which was not the case for children with ASD whose family owned a pet prior to their birth.…”

“…Various factors, including age and the severity of ASD, have been identified as contributing to the variability in the interest and interaction of children with ASD toward animals [ 80 , 105 ]. For example, in their study on pets in the families of children with ASD, Grandgeorge et al [ 80 ] found that children with ASD who experienced the arrival of a pet in their homes at 4–5 years of age developed a stronger relationship with their pet, and show a significant improvement in their prosocial behaviors; which was not the case for children with ASD whose family owned a pet prior to their birth.…”

“…In particular, they highlight that the quality of attachment between children with ASD and pet dogs is associated with the improvement of their social skills [ 74 , 75 , 77 ]. Addressing the attachment of children with ASD to their service dog may therefore be of interest, especially when considering that not all children with ASD become attached to their pets to the same extent—with some failing to develop a privileged relationship with the animal [ 74 , 75 , 78 , 79 ]—and that not all children with ASD exhibit the same behavioral interaction profile when interacting with a SD [ 80 , 81 ].…”

Service dogs for autistic children and family system functioning: a constant comparative analysis

“…An important line of future research will be to identify any factors – human or canine – that may be predictive of successful bonding between service dog and child, or whether there are cases where it is in fact more helpful for the service dog to form a primary bond with the caretaker instead. Some initial work has begun to characterize first interactions ( 49 ), and similar methods could be employed in a longitudinal design to begin identifying associations between early interactions and future bond strength. Ultimately, these findings could provide critical insights for service dog providers and health care practitioners to improve recommendations as to whether a service dog intervention would be appropriate, and if so, how to maximize efficacy.…”