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Journal of autism and developmental disorders2021; 51(12); 4605-4620; doi: 10.1007/s10803-021-04891-3

Animal Interaction Affecting Core Deficit Domains Among Children with Autism: A Meta-Analysis.

Abstract: Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) has garnered public interest and has been implemented for youth with autism spectrum disorders-a practice supported by anecdotal evidence. While investigations of AAI for children with autism have been conducted, the extant literature is characterized by significant variability in methodology and practice. The present meta-analysis examines the aggregated effects of equine AAI on adaptive functioning among children with autism. Results indicated that interacting with an equine specifically during AAI produced small-to-medium effects (g = 0.40) on the adaptive functioning of children with autism. Recommendations are made for future research on this topic.
© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC part of Springer Nature.
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Publication Date: 2021-02-13 PubMed ID: 33582878PubMed Central: 2735783DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-04891-3Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Meta-Analysis

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article analyses the impact of Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI), especially with horses, on improving adaptive functioning among autistic children. It found that interaction with horses during AAI resulted in small to medium positive effects. Recommendations for further research in the same area are also suggested.

Research Background

  • The study focuses on the efficacy of Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).
  • This is driven by an increasing public interest and anecdotal evidences that propose positive impacts of AAI on children with ASD.
  • Despite multiple investigations on this topic, the prior research works lack uniformity in methodology and practice.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers performed a meta-analysis, which refers to statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies.
  • The focus of their meta-analysis was to understand the aggregated effects of equine-assisted AAI on the adaptive behavior among children with autism.
  • Equine-assisted AAI is a specific form of AAI where the intervention involves interactions with horses.

Research Findings

  • The study indicated that interacting with horses during AAI had small to medium positive effects on the adaptive functioning of children with autism.
  • Although not definitively quantified, the results present the effect size as ‘g = 0.40’. A positive effect size signifies a positive impact of the intervention.
  • Adaptive functioning is essential for individuals with ASD as it allows them to function effectively and independently in their everyday lives.

Research Recommendations

  • The study concludes with a call for more research in this field.
  • Given the positive potential of AAI as suggested by the results, it recommends future research to further validate and precisely quantify the impact of AAI on children with ASD.
  • These future researches can help in making AAI a widely accepted and scientifically validated clinical practice for treating children with ASD.

Cite This Article

APA
Droboniku MJ, Mychailyszyn MP. (2021). Animal Interaction Affecting Core Deficit Domains Among Children with Autism: A Meta-Analysis. J Autism Dev Disord, 51(12), 4605-4620. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-021-04891-3

Publication

Journal of autism and developmental disorders
ISSN: 1573-3432
NlmUniqueID: 7904301
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 51
Issue: 12
Pages: 4605-4620

Researcher Affiliations

Droboniku, Michael J
  • Department of Psychology, Towson University, Towson, MD, 21252, USA. Droboniku8@gmail.com.
  • Department of Psychology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA. Droboniku8@gmail.com.
Mychailyszyn, Matthew P
  • Department of Psychology, Towson University, Towson, MD, 21252, USA.
  • Division of Pediatric Psychology & Neuropsychology, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital, Baltimore, MD, 21209, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Autistic Disorder
  • Child
  • Horses
  • Humans

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Kilmer M, Hong M, Akakpo V, Hawley T, Randolph D, Huetter S, Reichel A, Bowden M. The effect of Animal-assisted therapy on prosocial behavior and emotional regulation in autistic children with varying verbal abilities: A pilot study. PLoS One 2025;20(7):e0326085.
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