Controlled studies examining canine therapy in autism spectrum disorder are scarce. This study examined the effectiveness of a “Dog Training Intervention” on adaptive skills, autism severity, and anxiety using a controlled crossover design. Seventy-three participants diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (M_age = 4:10 ± 1:0) were divided into two groups that received the dog training intervention during half of the school year in addition to standard-of-care interventions. The dog training intervention, in which the children were taught how to interact with and train dogs, was given twice weekly for 4 months within autism spectrum disorder–specific special education school. Those receiving the dog training intervention first showed significantly increased adaptive social and communication skills compared to the controls, and the gains were maintained after the dog training intervention. Belonging to the first dog training intervention group, higher pre-intervention adaptive skills, higher baseline cognitive ability, and less severe autism severity predicted better adaptive social and communication skills. The controls improved in adaptive skills only during their receipt of dog training intervention after crossover. The positive impact on social communication skills suggests that dog training may serve as an effective model for establishing social interaction. Dog training intervention appears to be an effective adjunct treatment to interventions provided in special education schools for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Lay abstract

There is some evidence that using therapy dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder generally results in improved social communication skills and reduced behavioral problems. However, well-controlled studies that examine its effectiveness are scarce. This study examined the effectiveness of a “Dog Training Intervention.” The study included 73 participants diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (61 males, 12 females) with age range of 2:10–7:6 years (M = 4:10 ± 1:0) who attend autism spectrum disorder–specific special education schools. The study population was divided into two groups. Each group received the dog training intervention during one part of the school year (first half or second half) in addition to the standard interventions provided by the special education school settings. The dog training intervention was given twice weekly for 4 months within the school setting. The group that received the dog training intervention first showed a significant increase in adaptive social and communication skills in comparison to the second group that did not receive the intervention in this period. This improvement was maintained after the dog training intervention. The second group, which received intervention at the second half of the year, showed improvement in communication and socialization adaptive skills only during the period in which they received the dog training intervention. The positive impact on social communication adaptive skills of the dog training intervention among young children with autism spectrum disorder suggests that dogs may serve as an effective model for establishing social interaction. Dog training intervention appears to be an effective adjunct treatment to the interventions provided in special education schools for young children with autism spectrum disorder.

中文翻译：

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狗训练干预提高了自闭症谱系障碍幼儿的适应性社交沟通技巧：一项对照交叉研究

检查犬类治疗自闭症谱系障碍的对照研究很少。这项研究使用受控交叉设计检查了“狗训练干预”对适应性技能、自闭症严重程度和焦虑的有效性。七十三名被诊断患有自闭症谱系障碍的参与者（M_年龄= 4:10 ± 1:0) 被分成两组，除了标准的护理干预外，在半个学年期间接受狗训练干预。在自闭症谱系障碍特定的特殊教育学校内，每周两次进行狗训练干预，其中教孩子们如何与狗互动和训练狗，持续 4 个月。与对照组相比，接受狗训练干预的人首先表现出适应性社交和沟通技巧的显着提高，并且在狗训练干预后保持了这种进步。属于第一个狗训练干预组，较高的干预前适应性技能、较高的基线认知能力和较轻的自闭症严重程度预示着更好的适应性社交和沟通技巧。仅在交叉后接受狗训练干预期间，对照组的适应性技能才有所提高。对社交沟通技巧的积极影响表明，狗训练可以作为建立社交互动的有效模式。狗训练干预似乎是特殊教育学校为自闭症谱系障碍儿童提供的干预措施的有效辅助治疗。

摘要

有证据表明，为患有自闭症谱系障碍的儿童使用治疗犬通常会提高社交沟通技巧并减少行为问题。然而，检查其有效性的良好对照研究很少。这项研究检验了“狗训练干预”的有效性。该研究包括 73 名被诊断患有自闭症谱系障碍的参与者（61 名男性，12 名女性），年龄范围为 2:10-7:6 岁（M= 4:10 ± 1:0) 谁就读于自闭症谱系障碍特定的特殊教育学校。研究人群分为两组。除了特殊教育学校环境提供的标准干预外，每组在学年的一部分（上半年或下半年）接受狗训练干预。在学校环境中每周进行两次狗训练干预，持续 4 个月。与在此期间未接受干预的第二组相比，首先接受狗训练干预的组表现出适应性社交和沟通技巧的显着提高。这种改善在狗训练干预后得以保持。第二组，在下半年接受干预，只有在他们接受狗训练干预期间，他们才表现出沟通和社交适应技能的改善。狗训练干预对自闭症谱系障碍幼儿的社会交往适应技能的积极影响表明狗可以作为建立社会互动的有效模型。狗训练干预似乎是特殊教育学校为患有自闭症谱系障碍的幼儿提供的干预措施的有效辅助治疗。狗训练干预对自闭症谱系障碍幼儿的社会交往适应技能的积极影响表明狗可以作为建立社会互动的有效模型。狗训练干预似乎是特殊教育学校为患有自闭症谱系障碍的幼儿提供的干预措施的有效辅助治疗。狗训练干预对自闭症谱系障碍幼儿的社会交往适应技能的积极影响表明狗可以作为建立社会互动的有效模型。狗训练干预似乎是特殊教育学校为患有自闭症谱系障碍的幼儿提供的干预措施的有效辅助治疗。