More than Ownership: The Importance of Relationships with Companion Dogs for the Psychological Adjustment of Fibromyalgia Patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored the role of companion dogs for psychological adjustment to pain in patients with fibromyalgia with different levels of social support. It also considered the potential moderating effects of the quality of the owner-dog relationship and the use of interactions with dogs as a coping strategy. SETTING: A cross-sectional approach was followed using an online questionnaire. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Linear regression analyses were performed on data obtained from 106 participants (dog owners and non-owners). Sub-analyses were performed on 64 dog owners. RESULTS: Complex associations were observed between human social support, dog ownership and anxiety/depression levels. For participants with low levels of social support, owning a dog was associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression. In contrast, for moderate and high levels of social support, owning a dog was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression. Sub-analyses showed that participants in this study actively used interactions with companion dogs to manage their pain more frequently than other pain coping strategies. Among those interactions, patting and stroking the dog to cope with pain was associated with lower anxiety levels, even after adjusting for social support. Emotional closeness with the dog was associated with lower depression levels. CONCLUSIONS: Obtained results highlight the importance to go beyond mere ownership when addressing the effects of companion dogs and suggest that the development of emotional ties with companion dogs and the active use of interactions with these animals to cope with pain may contribute to better psychological adjustment in patients with fibromyalgia, regardless of human social support.

Preliminary Test of the Potential of Contact With Dogs to Elicit Spontaneous Imitation in Children and Adults With Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder.

IMPORTANCE: Finding strategies to enhance imitation skills in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is of major clinical relevance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether contact with dogs may be a useful approach to elicit spontaneous imitation in people with ASD. DESIGN: Participants completed a spontaneous imitation task under three experimental conditions: after a free-play interaction with a live dog, after a free-play interaction with a robotic dog, and after a waiting period that involved no stimuli. PARTICIPANTS: Ten children and 15 adults diagnosed with severe ASD. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Imitation ratio, imitation accuracy, and indicators of social motivation. RESULTS: Children appeared more motivated and engaged more frequently in spontaneous imitation in the live dog condition than in the other conditions. No differences between conditions were found for adults for imitation or social motivation. However, correlations suggested a possible trend for adults in time spent engaging with the live dog before testing and in increased imitation frequency. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results are preliminary and do not indicate the utility of integrating (live) dogs into interventions aimed at promoting social motivation and enhancing imitation skills in people with ASD. However, they suggest that doing so holds promise. Larger scale studies are now needed. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: This research calls for occupational therapy practitioners' attention to the potential benefits that may derive from using dogs to promote spontaneous imitation, and increase imitation performance, in people with ASD, particularly children.

Can Dogs Assist Children with Severe Autism Spectrum Disorder in Complying with Challenging Demands? An Exploratory Experiment with a Live and a Robotic Dog.

OBJECTIVES: Prompted by the need to find effective ways to enhance compliance in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and building on the increasing interest in dog-assisted interventions for this population, this study provides an exploratory test on whether dogs may assist children with severe ASD in complying with challenging demands while also decreasing behavioral and cardiovascular distress. DESIGN: A within-subject design was used. Depending on condition, participants were allowed to engage with a particular stimulus-their preferred toy, a live dog, or a robotic dog-before being exposed to a demanding task in which they had to wait for permission to eat a desired food item ("prohibition task"). Although inactive, the stimulus remained present during the prohibition task. SUBJECTS AND SETTINGS: Ten male children, aged between 6 and 9 years and diagnosed with severe ASD, participated in this study. All were clinically referred as having serious compliance difficulties in everyday routines. Testing occurred at participants' homes. OUTCOME MEASURES: Participants' emotional expressions, latency to distress, compliance levels, and behaviors that were shown during committed compliance were assessed during the prohibition task. In addition, cardiovascular reactivity to the task was monitored. RESULTS: Obtained data revealed significant differences between conditions for some of the considered measures. Latency to distress was higher in the live dog than in the toy condition. Committed compliance was higher in the live dog than in the toy and robot conditions. Quiet waiting during committed compliance was higher in the live dog condition than in the toy condition, and tension release behaviors were lower. In addition, heart rate reactivity was lower in the live dog condition than in the toy condition. CONCLUSIONS: The live dog condition appeared to have a calming effect on the participants, hypothetically facilitating compliance. Although promising, these findings are only preliminary and their clinical significance needs to be assessed in future studies.

Can you know me better? an exploratory study combining behavioural and physiological measurements for an objective assessment of sensory responsiveness in a child with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Sensory assessment of individuals with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) can be difficult for several reasons, including the idiosyncratic reactions that these individuals exhibit to environmental stimuli. This case report presents a combination of behavioural and physiological measurements aimed at providing an objective assessment of the sensory responsiveness of a child with PIMD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The participant was presented with a set of nineteen stimuli commonly used during sensory interventions. Responsiveness to these stimuli was assessed in terms of motor movements, heart rate and electrodermal responses. RESULTS: Although the child only exhibited consistent motor reactions to three of the items, he showed consistent physiological reactions to a total of ten stimuli. CONCLUSIONS: Obtained data, although preliminary, suggest that combining behavioural and physiological measurements may constitute a useful resource for assessing the actual responsiveness of individuals with PIMD. With such a resource, people close to these individuals could fine tune their interventions and guarantee their well-being.

Can dogs prime autistic children for therapy? Evidence from a single case study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Canine-assisted therapy has been receiving growing attention as a means of aiding children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Yet, only limited studies have been done and a great deal of literature related to this intervention is anecdotal. The present study aims at providing additional quantitative evidence on the potential of dogs to positively modulate the behavior of children with ASD. SETTINGS/LOCATION, SUBJECTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: A 12-year-old boy diagnosed with ASD was exposed, at his usual treatment location (the Portuguese Association for Developmental Disorders and Autism at Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal), to the following treatment conditions: (1) one-to-one structured activities with a therapist assisted by a certified therapy dog, and (2) one-to-one structured activities with the same therapist alone (as a control). To accurately assess differences in the behavior of the participant between these treatment conditions, the therapist followed a strict research protocol. The behavior of the participant was continuously video-recorded during both treatment conditions for further analysis and comparison. Treatment outcomes: In the presence of the dog, the participant exhibited more frequent and longer durations of positive behaviors (such as smiling and positive physical contacting) as well as less frequent and shorter durations of negative behaviors (such as aggressive manifestations). CONCLUSIONS: These findings are in accordance with previous experimental work and provide additional support for the assertion that dogs can prime autistic children for therapy. Ultimately, this study may contribute toward a change for full acceptance of canine-assisted therapy programs within the medical milieu. Additional studies using a similar research protocol on more autistic children will certainly help professionals to work on the most effective methods to individually serve this population through canine-assisted interventions.