Autism Service Dogs for Children Literature Review

From Service Dog Training

This is the first of a series of literature reviews about service dogs for children. This is the fifth part of a series on the risks of autism service dogs for young children. Links to other parts of the series:

Introduction: The Lassie Phenomenon

Part 1: Tethering

Part 2: Search and Rescue and Preventing Escape

Part 3: Facilitation Social Interaction and Inconsistent Handling

Part 4: Autism Service Dogs at School and Miscellaneous Concerns

A summary is given for each article with links to the full review of the article.

Assistance Dog Placement in the Pediatric Population

Davis, B., Nattrass, K., O'Brien, S., Patronek, G., & MacCollin, M. (2004). Assistance Dog Placement in the Pediatric Population: Benefits, Risks and Recommendations for Future Applications. Anthrozoos , 130-145.

This paper interviewed 17 families who had a service dog placed with a child under 18, from one service dog school, NEADS. The stated purpose of the study was to evaluate the benefits and risks of placing service dogs with the pediatric population. Data was collected in an interview using an open-ended questionnaire asking about the various potential risks and benefits of service dog use. The age range of the children at the time of service dog placement was 5-17 years old, with a mean age of 10.9. While 24 teams were initially identified as candidates for the study, 4 had rehomed the service dog by the time of the study and others had complicating factors precluding involvement in the study.

Challenges of Service Dog Ownership for Families with Autistic Children

Burrows, K. E., & Adams, C. L. (2008). Challenges of Service-Dog Ownership for Families with Autistic Children: Lessons for Veterinary Practitioners. Journal of Veterinary Medical Education , 559-566.

This study had the stated objective identifying and describing the challenges of integrating a service dog for a child with autism into the home and community. The study included 10 families and 11 dogs (one was replaced during the study). The children ranged in age from 4.5-14 at placement. Parents were interviewed during placement training, and then every three months for either 6 or 12 months. All data was collected through semi-structured and open ended interviews. Through these interviews, the researchers identified certain challenges that were often reported.

Factors Affecting Behavior and Welfare of Service Dogs for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Burrows, K. E., Adams, C. L., & Millman, S. T. (2008). Factors Affecting Behavior and Welfare of Service Dogs for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science , 42-62.

This study followed the same study group as the Challenges of Service Dog Ownership for Families with Autistic Children. It attempted to make a qualitative assessment of dog’s welfare and factors influencing performance as a service animal. The study was comprised of semi-structured and open ended interviews looking at each dog’s behavior, interaction with the family, training problems, expectations of the dog within the context of the family, and successful events that occurred while using the service dog.

The interviews were conducted at 3 month intervals for either 6 or 12 months. The data was analyzed specifically pertaining to the dog’s role as a service dog within the family with a child with autism. It was designed to identify the potential physical and psychological stressors, with observation on the implications of those stressors on the dog’s performance and welfare.

--To Be Continued--

--Tiffany Huggard-Lee 18:20, 1 November 2009 (CST)

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