There exist several interventions for autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Of particular interest is pet therapy. ASD patients exhibit behavioral and social inadequacies that can be addressed by pets. It has been found in previous studies that pet therapy intervention is associated with positive outcomes. O’Haire et al (2014) noted that the presence of animals can considerably grow positive social behaviors in children with ASD. The study was however limited in that it only used the guinea pig. Siwersten, French, and Teramoto (2015) also noted that use pet such as dog and horses is likely to yield positive behavioral outcomes in children. The authors note that children with ASD display a special bond with pets. For example, they noted, such children preferred pictures of animals and were less responsive to the human voice as opposed to other stimuli. The outcome is supported by Wijker et al (2019) whose study on the dog assisted therapy concluded that that use of dogs in the therapy reduced stress and agoraphobia. The studies do not specify which pet is more suitable. The generalization of their outcome to “animals” and “pets” warrants further investigation. The study seeks to investigate the most effective pet of the commonly used, dog, horse, and guinea pig. It will focus on the reaction and behavioral improvement of children with ASD.
Problem and Purpose of the Study
In light of the above gap, the research will aim at contributing to the efficacy of pet therapy intervention in ASD patients. The research also aims at minimizing the risks involved in animal-assisted therapy. Considering the fact that ASD children display aggressive behaviors, the reaction from the animals might harm them through biting, kicking or scratching.
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Specific Objectives:
1. To determine which animal is effective in pet therapy of ASD children.
2. To examine which animals poses risks to the ASD children involved in the therapy.
3. To offer recommendation on handling the pets during the therapy and ways care providers can achieve optimum outcomes.
Research Questions
The research will seek to answer the following research questions:
1. In the presence of which animal, do ASD children show more positive reaction?
2. In the presence of which animal, do the ASD children exhibit aggression and boredom?
3. In the presence of which animal, are peers more receptive and social to an ASD child?
4. Which interaction among the three animals yielded positive behavior in the ASD children?
Hypotheses
Null hypothesis: Different animals used in pet therapy yield differing outcome when used as an intervention in children with ASD.
Alternative hypothesis: The outcome of pet therapy in ASD children are the same regardless of e animal used.
Method
The research will recruit 30 participants from an autistic care center. The participants will be aged 10-15 years. The participants will be eliminated based on the severity of their condition, allergic condition to pets, and fear of pets to around 15. The 15 participants will be subjected to the study. In collecting the data, the study will measure the perceived stress of a participant in the presence of the animal as well as signals of positive emotions such as smiling or laughing. The reaction of the peers towards the ASD child in the presence of animals will be recorded in a 10-minute video and analyzed. The outcome will be generated from the statistical analysis of data.
References
O'Haire, M. E., McKenzie, S. J., Beck, A. M., & Slaughter, V. (2014). Social Behaviors Increase in Children with Autism in the Presence of Animals Compared to Toys. Public Library of Science , 8 (2), e57010. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057010
Siewertsen, C., French, E., & Teramoto, M. (2015). Autism Spectrum Disorder and Pet Therapy. Advanaces in Mind Body Medicine , 29 (2), 22-25.
Wijker, C., Leontjevas, R., Spek, A., & Enders-Slegers, M. (2019). Effects of Dog Assisted Therapy for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders . doi:10.1007/s10803-019-03971-9
