Activities with dogs and people with ASD: Therapy or entertainment?
During the last few years, interventions or activities involving some type of animal have gained greater prominence and relevance in the area of mental health.
Although there is still not enough scientific data for animal-assisted intervention in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to be recognized as a primary therapy with proven evidence, the different studies and cases carried out so far have shown favorable results, observing abundant physical and mental benefits enough to be considered a suitable complementary therapy within their overall treatment.
However, it's important to keep in mind that, while in most cases the presence of and interaction with the animal is beneficial , some individuals diagnosed with ASD may be intolerant of the stimuli presented by the dog. Due to differences in sensory processing, many people with autism may experience hypersensitivity and insecurity toward certain aspects of the animal, such as its smell, appearance, texture, and sounds, which can cause them to become restless or annoyed simply by its presence. In these cases, contact with the animal, instead of being beneficial, will be a source of stress.
Sensory stimulation for people with ASD
The use of animals in therapies for ASD is based on the hypothesis that the animal's movements and behaviors are easier to interpret, since they follow a more predictable and repetitive pattern, which does not require having to decipher the different verbal and non-verbal signals that occur in the interaction between people.
Some children with ASD show greater skill and enjoyment in interacting with dogs than with other human beings.
For a person with ASD, the inconsistency between the body language and actions of a person without this disorder can generate doubts and insecurities, making it difficult to interpret their intentions. Unlike humans, animals tend to show great consistency between their interests and their actions. A dog, for example, will tend to approach a human if offered food and will move away if attacked. The consistency between stimulus and response shown by animals clearly surpasses the behavioral inconsistency of humans. A child with ASD who observes that children are sometimes friendly and other times avoid or make fun of them may experience conflict because they are unable to predict these responses and will try to avoid interaction. This could explain why some children with ASD show greater skill and enjoyment in interacting with dogs than with other human beings.
The benefits of interacting with a dog
Acquiring skills to interpret and respond to the dog's social behaviors and signals could serve as a bridge for the person with ASD to later learn to understand the functional meaning of communication and social interactions with people, thus allowing them to participate in simple social contexts, reducing their isolation and promoting their social skills.
Currently, it is possible to use interventions with different animals (horses, dolphins, etc.), but unlike other species, dogs have been described as possessing a unique innate ability to attend to and interpret human signals, making them an exceptional tool for interaction during therapy and in daily life. The social characteristics of dogs make it easier for children with ASD to be more open to interacting with them and to practice their communication skills with greater motivation. Furthermore, dogs are considered to be a living model of multisensory stimulation (visual, auditory, and tactile) for people with ASD, and are often more appealing and less intimidating than other human beings.
The dog possesses a unique innate ability to attend to and interpret human signals, making it an exceptional tool for interaction during therapy.
Some studies have shown that the use of dogs in therapies and in activities of daily living is a useful complementary alternative to the treatment of ASD, favoring the appearance of positive behaviors (an increase in social interaction, an increase in play behaviors, a better level of attention in the sessions, a lower level of stress, the promotion of a greater and better use of language, etc.), and decreasing the frequency of negative behaviors , such as aggression towards others and towards oneself or some of the self-stimulatory behaviors that can interfere with their functionality.
Gemma Vilanova Porqueres
Studies have also shown that children with ASD exhibit greater signs of well-being in the presence of a dog, such as smiling, making eye contact with the therapist, and allowing physical contact. This has led to the idea that the dog acts as a mediator , fostering the development of social behaviors and enhancing skills that can later be transferred to human interactions.
Furthermore, these studies indicate that the presence of a dog in therapy sessions creates a more pleasant environment for children with ASD, which allows them to exhibit better behavior. And improved mood and behavior from individuals with ASD can influence the success of therapy.
Despite the benefits that the use of dogs in the treatment of people with autism has shown in the different studies carried out, it is important to clarify that dogs in themselves do not constitute a therapy, but an instrument; they are a " facilitator " or " mediator " of the interaction between the therapist and the person with ASD.
Interventions with dogs as therapy
So, can activities or interventions with dogs for people with ASD be considered therapy, or are they just a leisure activity?
The correct answer is that both options can be true, and this will depend on how the sessions are planned and conducted. When deciding to include dog-assisted intervention as therapy within the overall treatment plan for a person with ASD, it is appropriate and recommended that the referring therapist (psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.) coordinate beforehand with the technician who will lead the sessions. This is to precisely define the objectives to be addressed and the procedures to be applied within the established program for the individual.
In general, in dog-assisted therapy for people with ASD, the following can be addressed, among other things:
- Eye contact.
- Verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
- Understanding emotions to foster social interaction.
- Learning and respecting rules.
- Memory.
- Attention.
- Fine and gross motor skills.
- Sensory stimulation.
- Reduction of stereotypical and disruptive behaviors.
- Tolerance of waiting times and acceptance of transition or change moments between activities.
The dog is considered a highly attractive multisensory stimulus and a powerful motivator in itself for many people with autism, and it fosters greater cooperation during assessment sessions. This allows, in many cases, for certain interventions that would be impossible for some individuals without the dog's presence, such as assessing attention span, evaluating comprehension of verbal commands, and even, sometimes, making the clinical interview with the psychiatrist or psychologist more engaging and relaxed.
It has been observed that, in the presence of a dog, children with ASD express greater signs of well-being such as smiling, making eye contact with the therapist, and allowing physical contact.
The sessions will be conditioned not only by age, but also by the different clinical characteristics and abilities that the child presents and, based on these, an individualized protocol of the therapy to be carried out will be developed.
The main factors that will determine the sessions, including the specific objectives to be worked on and the duration, as well as the materials and activities that can be used in them, are:
- The person's cognitive ability and their overall level of functioning.
- Communication skills: level of expressive verbal language and level of verbal language comprehension.
- Any hypersensitivities they may have.
- Their main motivational interests.
- Symptoms of other mental health diagnoses that may be added (such as symptoms of hyperactivity, symptoms of inattention, high irritability that triggers hetero-aggressive behaviors, self-harm, etc.)
Activities of dog-assisted therapy sessions
There are many activities that can be done during TAP sessions, and depending on the goal to be achieved with each person, the specialist will choose the most appropriate one for each moment. Some of the different "uses" that can be made of the dog in therapy sessions with a person with ASD are:
- The dog as an element of sensory stimulation: participants in therapy can approach the dog and explore with their senses the physical components of the dog (petting, brushing, …).
- As a model or mannequin: the dog is used as an example stimulus about which one can talk, compare, describe situations and experiences of the person undergoing therapy.
- As a co-therapist: the dog actively participates during therapy by playing with the child, bringing things to him, performing skills, or seeking physical contact.
- As a transitional object and social mediator: for example, in the case of some children, they develop an emotional attachment to the dog, thus minimizing the absence of the family member (attachment figure) during therapy.
Managing behavioral problems in children and young people with ASD
In some cases, walking the dog can also be an important element of therapy, allowing for work on regulating behavior while walking in the street. It facilitates learning greater self-control of impulsive and disproportionate responses to stimuli that are either very attractive or very aversive (such as running away, pushing or hitting people, putting objects in their mouths like leaves, etc.). During the walk, aspects such as walking appropriately and beside the therapist, recognizing and distinguishing the meaning of traffic light colors and learning how and when to use them, tolerating waiting times, and playing in the park can be addressed.
Just as individuals with ASD can be completely different from one another, therapy sessions with dogs also tend to vary. Sessions can be conducted individually, with couples, or in groups, with or without family members present, depending on the desired therapeutic goal.
In cases where specific work objectives are not established, sessions with dogs should be understood and valued as a recreational activity, which is also positive for the person if the animal is pleasant and motivating, but it cannot be considered a therapeutic intervention as such.
