FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Vet Sci / Reliability and Validity Assessment of the Observation of Hu...
Frontiers in veterinary science2018; 5; 268; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00268

Reliability and Validity Assessment of the Observation of Human-Animal Interaction for Research (OHAIRE) Behavior Coding Tool.

Abstract: The Observation of Human-Animal Interaction for Research (OHAIRE) is a coding tool developed to capture the behavior of children when interacting with social partners and animals in naturalistic settings. The OHAIRE behavioral categories of focus are emotional displays, social communication behaviors toward adults and peers, behaviors directed toward animals or experimental control objects, and interfering behaviors. To date, the OHAIRE has been used by 14 coders to code 2,732 min of video across four studies with a total of 201 participants ages 5 to 18 years ( = 10.1, = 2.5). Studies involved animal-assisted intervention with three species (i.e., dogs, horses, and guinea pigs) and three populations (i.e., autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and typically developing children) in a school, a therapeutic horseback riding program, a group therapy program, and the hospital setting. We explored the psychometric properties of the OHAIRE through analyses of its inter-rater reliability, intra-rater reliability, convergent and divergent validity, and internal structure, using data from these four human-animal interaction studies. The average inter-rater reliability was excellent (kappa = 0.81), with good reliability in most of the behavioral categories coded. Intra-rater reliability was consistently excellent (0.87 ≤ kappa ≤0.96). Internal structure analyses with Cronbach's alpha supported the exploratory use of subscales to measure social communication behaviors toward peers (α = 0.638) and adults (α = 0.605), and interactions experimental control objects (α = 0.589), and the use of a subscale to measure interactions with animals (α = 0.773). Correlation analyses with multiple questionnaires showed a convergence between positive emotional display and social behaviors as assessed by the OHAIRE and social skills as assessed by the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS) and the Social Communication Questionnaires (SCQ). Little concordance was found between the OHAIRE and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) or the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community (ABC). The OHAIRE shows promise for wider use in the field of Human-Animal Interaction, with a need for generalization across more settings and ages.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2018-11-08 PubMed ID: 30467548PubMed Central: PMC6237017DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00268Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

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.

This research involved testing and assessing the reliability and validity of the Observation of Human-Animal Interaction for Research (OHAIRE), a coding tool used to observe children’s behavior when interacting with animals and social partners. The researchers found that OHAIRE reliably captures behavioral categories and shows promise for broader use in the field of Human-Animal Interaction.

OHAIRE Behavior Coding Tool

OHAIRE is a behavioral coding tool used to record children behavior in natural settings when interacting with social partners as well as animals. It focuses on aspects such as emotional displays, social communication behavior towards adults and peers, behaviors directed towards animals or experimental control objects and interfering behaviors. Until this research, OHAIRE has been employed by 14 coders to code 2732 minutes of video involving four studies and a total of 201 participants aged 5 to 18 years.

Usage of OHAIRE

  • The studies involving the use of OHAIRE included animal-assisted intervention with three distinct species: dogs, horses, and guinea pigs.
  • The populations involved in these studies are children with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and typically developing children.
  • Settings for these studies ranged from a school, a therapeutic horseback riding program, a group therapy program to a hospital.

Assessment of OHAIRE

The researchers evaluated OHAIRE’s psychometric properties using:

  • Inter-rater reliability: Agreement between different individuals coding the same data.
  • Intra-rater reliability: Agreement between repeated codings by the same individual.
  • Convergent and divergent validity: Measure of how closely the new scale is related to other variables and measures.
  • Internal structure: Degree to which elements of a test are interrelated.

The average inter-rater reliability was found to be excellent while intra-rater reliability was consistently rated as outstanding.

Reliability and Validity Assessment Results

  • Analysis of internal structure with Cronbach’s alpha showed support for the exploratory use of subscales to measure various behaviors.
  • Correlation analysis with multiple questionnaires showed a convergence between a positive emotional display and social behaviors as assessed by OHAIRE and social skills by other tested rating systems.
  • However, little agreement was found between OHAIRE and the Social Responsiveness Scale or the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community.

Overall, OHAIRE shows potential for wider application in the field of Human-Animal Interaction research but needs further generalization across more settings and age groups.

Cite This Article

APA
Guérin NA, Gabriels RL, Germone MM, Schuck SEB, Traynor A, Thomas KM, McKenzie SJ, Slaughter V, O'Haire ME. (2018). Reliability and Validity Assessment of the Observation of Human-Animal Interaction for Research (OHAIRE) Behavior Coding Tool. Front Vet Sci, 5, 268. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00268

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 5
Pages: 268
PII: 268

Researcher Affiliations

Guérin, Noémie A
  • Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Center for the Human-Animal Bond, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.
Gabriels, Robin L
  • Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, United States.
Germone, Monique M
  • Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, United States.
Schuck, Sabrina E B
  • Child Development Center, Pediatrics School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States.
Traynor, Anne
  • Department of Educational Studies, College of Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.
Thomas, Katherine M
  • Department of Psychological Sciences, College of Health and Human Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.
McKenzie, Samantha J
  • Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Slaughter, Virginia
  • School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
O'Haire, Marguerite E
  • Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Center for the Human-Animal Bond, College of Veterinary Medicine, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.

Grant Funding

  • R03 HD070683 / NICHD NIH HHS

References

This article includes 39 references
  1. Herzog H. The research challenge: threats to the validity of animal-assisted therapy studies and suggestions for improvement.. In: Fine AH. editor. Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy: Foundations and Guidelines for Animal-Assisted Interventions. 4th ed Pomona, CA: Academic Press; (2015). p. 402–7.
  2. Kazdin AE. Methodological standards and strategies for establishing the evidence base of animal-assisted therapies.. In: Fine AH. editor. Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy: Foundations and Guidelines for Animal-Assisted Interventions. 4th ed. Pomona, CA: Academic Press; (2015). p. 377–90.
  3. Hannes K, Claes L. Learn to read and write systematic reviews: the Belgian Campbell Group.. Res Soc Work Pract (2007) 17:748–53.
    doi: 10.1177/1049731507303106google scholar: lookup
  4. Wilson CC, Netting FE. The status of instrument development in the human–animal interaction field.. Anthrozoös (2012) 25:s11–55.
    doi: 10.2752/175303712X13353430376977google scholar: lookup
  5. Beck AM. The biology of the human–animal bond.. Animal Front (2014) 4:32–6.
    doi: 10.2527/af.2014-0019google scholar: lookup
  6. Wilson EO. Biophilia.. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; (1984).
  7. Lorenz K. Die angeborenen Formen moglicher Erfahrung.. Zschr Tierpsychol (1943) 5:235–409.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1943.tb00655.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  8. Lynch JJ. A Cry Unheard: New Insights Into the Medical Consequences of Loneliness.. Baltimore, MD: Bancroft Press; (2000).
  9. Ainsworth MD. Infant--mother attachment.. Am Psychol 1979 Oct;34(10):932-7.
    doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.932pubmed: 517843google scholar: lookup
  10. Gabriels RL, Pan Z, Dechant B, Agnew JA, Brim N, Mesibov G. Randomized Controlled Trial of Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder.. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2015 Jul;54(7):541-9.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2015.04.007pmc: PMC4475278pubmed: 26088658google scholar: lookup
  11. O'Haire ME, McKenzie SJ, Beck AM, Slaughter V. Social behaviors increase in children with autism in the presence of animals compared to toys.. PLoS One 2013;8(2):e57010.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057010pmc: PMC3584132pubmed: 23468902google scholar: lookup
  12. Schuck SE, Emmerson NA, Fine AH, Lakes KD. Canine-assisted therapy for children with ADHD: preliminary findings from the positive assertive cooperative kids study.. J Atten Disord 2015 Feb;19(2):125-37.
    doi: 10.1177/1087054713502080pmc: PMC4348044pubmed: 24062278google scholar: lookup
  13. Chorney JM, McMurtry CM, Chambers CT, Bakeman R. Developing and modifying behavioral coding schemes in pediatric psychology: a practical guide.. J Pediatr Psychol 2015 Jan-Feb;40(1):154-64.
    doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsu099pmc: PMC4288308pubmed: 25416837google scholar: lookup
  14. McNicholas J, Collis GM. Dogs as catalysts for social interactions: robustness of the effect.. Br J Psychol 2000 Feb;91 ( Pt 1):61-70.
    doi: 10.1348/000712600161673pubmed: 10717771google scholar: lookup
  15. O'Haire ME. Research on animal-assisted intervention and autism spectrum disorder, 2012–2015.. Appl Dev Sci (2016) 21:200–16.
    doi: 10.1080/10888691.2016.1243988google scholar: lookup
  16. Friedmann E. The role of pets in enhancing human well-being: physiological effects.. In: Robinson I, editor. The Waltham Book of Human-Animal Interaction: Benefits and Responsibilities of Pet Ownership. Oxford: Pergamon Press; (1995). p. 33–53.
  17. O'Haire ME. Pets as a prescription for health: the benefits of companion animals for mental well-being.. Mental Notes (2012) 6:5–7.
  18. Wells DL. The effects of animals on human health and well-being.. J Soc Issues (2009) 65:523–43.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1540-4560.2009.01612.xgoogle scholar: lookup
  19. Guérin NA. Psychometrics Properties and Use of a Behavioral Observation Coding Tool for Human-Animal Interaction Research (M.S.).. Purdue University, United States -Indiana (2017).
  20. Qualtrics L. Qualtrics [software]. Provo, UT: Google Scholar; (2014).
  21. Bakeman R. Behavioral observation and coding.. In: Handbook of Research Methods in Social and Personality Psychology Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; (2000). p. 138–59.
  22. Altmann J. Observational study of behavior: sampling methods.. Behaviour 1974;49(3):227-67.
    doi: 10.1163/156853974X00534pubmed: 4597405google scholar: lookup
  23. Lane JD, Ledford JR. Using interval-based systems to measure behavior in early childhood special education and early intervention.. Topics Early Child Spec Educ (2014) 34:83–93.
    doi: 10.1177/0271121414524063google scholar: lookup
  24. Marshburn EC, Aman MG. Factor validity and norms for the aberrant behavior checklist in a community sample of children with mental retardation.. J Autism Dev Disord 1992 Sep;22(3):357-73.
    doi: 10.1007/BF01048240pubmed: 1383187google scholar: lookup
  25. Brinkley J, Nations L, Abramson RK, Hall A, Wright HH, Gabriels R, Gilbert JR, Pericak-Vance MA, Cuccaro ML. Factor analysis of the aberrant behavior checklist in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.. J Autism Dev Disord 2007 Nov;37(10):1949-59.
    doi: 10.1007/s10803-006-0327-3pubmed: 17186368google scholar: lookup
  26. Brown EC, Aman MG, Havercamp SM. Factor analysis and norms for parent ratings on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community for young people in special education.. Res Dev Disabil 2002 Jan-Feb;23(1):45-60.
    doi: 10.1016/S0891-4222(01)00091-9pubmed: 12071395google scholar: lookup
  27. Rutter ML, Bailey A, Lord C. Social Communication Questionnaire.. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services; (2003).
  28. Constantino JN, Gruber CP. The Social Responsiveness Scale.. Los Angeles, CA: Western Psychological Services; (2002).
  29. Constantino JN, Davis SA, Todd RD, Schindler MK, Gross MM, Brophy SL, Metzger LM, Shoushtari CS, Splinter R, Reich W. Validation of a brief quantitative measure of autistic traits: comparison of the social responsiveness scale with the autism diagnostic interview-revised.. J Autism Dev Disord 2003 Aug;33(4):427-33.
    doi: 10.1023/A:1025014929212pubmed: 12959421google scholar: lookup
  30. Constantino JN, Gruber CP. The Social Responsiveness Scale Manual. 2nd ed. (SRS-2).. Los Angeles, CA: W. P. Services Ed; (2012).
  31. Gresham FM, Elliott SN. Social Skills Rating System.. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service; (1990).
  32. Gresham F, Elliott SN. Social Skills Improvement System (SSIS) Rating Scales.. Bloomington, MN: Pearson Assessments; (2008).
  33. Gresham FM, Elliott SN, Vance MJ, Cook CR. Comparability of the social skills rating system to the social skills improvement system: content and psychometric comparisons across elementary and secondary age levels.. School Psychol Q (2011) 26:27–44.
    doi: 10.1037/a0022662google scholar: lookup
  34. Cohen J. A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales.. Educ Psychol Meas (1960) 20:37–46.
    doi: 10.1177/001316446002000104google scholar: lookup
  35. McHugh ML. Interrater reliability: the kappa statistic.. Biochem Med (Zagreb) 2012;22(3):276-82.
    doi: 10.11613/BM.2012.031pmc: PMC3900052pubmed: 23092060google scholar: lookup
  36. Hintze JM. Psychometrics of direct observation.. School Psychol Rev (2005) 34:507–19.
  37. Cronbach LJ. Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests.. Psychometrika (1951) 16:297–334.
    doi: 10.1007/BF02310555google scholar: lookup
  38. Achenbach TM, McConaughy SH, Howell CT. Child/adolescent behavioral and emotional problems: implications of cross-informant correlations for situational specificity.. Psychol Bull 1987 Mar;101(2):213-32.
    doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.101.2.213pubmed: 3562706google scholar: lookup
  39. Mazgaonkar G, Guérin NA, O'Haire ME. Animal-assisted activities: effects of animals on positive emotional display in children in inclusion classrooms.. J Purdue Undergrad Res (2017) 7:27–33.
    doi: 10.5703/1288284316394google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 6 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.
    doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326085pubmed: 40591694google scholar: lookup
  2. Holder TRN, Nichols C, Summers E, Roberts DL, Bozkurt A. Exploring the Dynamics of Canine-Assisted Interactions: A Wearable Approach to Understanding Interspecies Well-Being. Animals (Basel) 2024 Dec 16;14(24).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14243628pubmed: 39765532google scholar: lookup
  3. Nieforth LO, Guerin NA, Stehli A, Schuck SEB, Yi K, O'Haire ME. Observation of human-animal interaction for research (OHAIRE) behavior coding in a randomized control trial of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a canine-assisted intervention. Front Psychiatry 2024;15:1327380.
    doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1327380pubmed: 38476612google scholar: lookup
  4. De Santis M, Filugelli L, Mair A, Normando S, Mutinelli F, Contalbrigo L. How to Measure Human-Dog Interaction in Dog Assisted Interventions? A Scoping Review. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jan 26;14(3).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14030410pubmed: 38338052google scholar: lookup
  5. He Q, Wang Y, Liu Z, Xia J, Yin H, Qiu Z, Wang H, Xu W, Xu Z, Xie J. Analysis of salivary steroid hormones in boys with autism spectrum disorder. BMC Psychiatry 2023 Feb 14;23(1):105.
    doi: 10.1186/s12888-023-04586-2pubmed: 36788524google scholar: lookup
  6. Griffin JA, Hurley K, McCune S. Human-Animal Interaction Research: Progress and Possibilities. Front Psychol 2019;10:2803.
    doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02803pubmed: 31920846google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.