Autism Service Dogs for Children Literature Review 2

From Service Dog Training

This is the second part of a series of literature reviews about service dogs for children. This is also the sixth and final 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

Part 5: Literature Review

A summary is given for the article with a link to the full review of the article.

Sentinels of Safety: Service Dogs Ensure Safety and Enhance Freedom and Well-Being for Families With Autistic Children

Burrows, K. E., Adams, C. L., & Spiers, J. (2008). Sentinels of Safety: Service Dogs Ensure Safety and Enhance Freedom and Well-Being for Families with Autistic Children. Qualitative Health Research , 1642-1649.

This study used the same sample group as Factors Affecting Behavior and Welfare of Service Dogs for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Challenges of Service-Dog Ownership for Families with Autistic Children: Lessons for Veterinary Practitioners. The goal of the study was “to identify and describe important patterns of behavior in the relationship between service dog, child with autism, and family members, and (b) to draw conclusions about the organization of this behavior and its functional significance.” Data was gathered 6 and 12 months after placement and was collected by observation and interviews of the parents.

Conclusion

It is interesting to note how little research has been done on autism service dogs. As the number of autism service dogs has been increasing rapidly in the past few years, it will soon become necessary to quantify not only whether or not there is a benefit to be gained from these dogs, but also if the benefits of such placements outweigh the risks. Research to this point has focused on the time immediately or soon after the placement of the dog, making it difficult to see past the ‘honeymoon’ phase that comes with most service dog placements. Also, the number of participants studied has been very small. Three of the four studies profiled here used the same study group, and both studies had relatively small study populations given the large amount of these dogs that are being placed each year.

In order to obtain the greatest amount of information from these studies, the prospective autism service dog client should consider the three studies by Burrows et al. as a unit, as each one individually does not present a balanced view of the benefits and risks of autism service dog use that were identified in this study group.

--Tiffany Huggard-Lee 16:35, 13 November 2009 (CST)

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