The benefits of Animal Assisted Intervention in therapeutic settings for children with special needs are well documented in the literature. The role of a companion animal in the home in supporting the development of children with special needs is less well researched. This study examined the role and impact of a family companion canine living in a household with a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Eleven mothers of children with ASD (age 5-12) participated in one-on-one interviews focusing on the interaction between their child and the family companion canine. Of the 11 families, 5 primary caregivers purchased a canine for the purpose of assisting the child. The other six purchased the canine primarily because of their own “love of dogs”. The interviews, which lasted 20 – 50 minutes, were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.
Five major themes emerged from an analysis of the transcripts: love and companionship; perception of ownership; comfort and calming influence; education about and understanding of the world; and challenging experiences. The mothers described a range of interactions between their children with ASD and the companion canines. While most such interactions were described in positive terms – especially in relation to social and emotional benefits – some mothers noted difficulties between the child and canine companion. Some of these difficulties related to negative and indifferent behaviors toward the animal. One mother, for example, described her child as having “no relationship” with the canine or other companion animals in the home. There were also instances of behavior towards the animal that were not appropriate and stressful for the animal. Yet, the majority of the mothers advocated the practice of having a companion animal for children with ASD. Canines were not always the preferred companion animal for every child. Other preferred companion animals included guinea pigs, a cat, and a horse.
The overall findings of this study indicate that owning a companion animal was experienced by children with ASD and their families as being personally gratifying. These findings suggest that children with ASD can benefit from having a companion canine in the home, especially if the canine has a temperament suitable to interact with children with unique social and sensory needs.
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