Acceptability and effects of acquiring an assistance or companion dog for families of children on the autism spectrum

Abstract

Purpose Assistance and companion dogs have numerous positive effects for family of autistic children, such as supporting their rehabilitation and improving their quality of life. To date, very few studies have compared the effects of both types of dogs. This comparison, considering the limited access to assistance dogs, could be helpful for families wanting to adopt a dog. Methods An explanatory sequential design with a mixed-method approach was used. First, 85 parents (n assistance dogs = 57; n companion dogs = 28) of children aged between 3 and 17 years old (M = 10.73, SD = 3.67) completed an online questionnaire including sociodemographic questions and the Treatment Acceptability Rating Form-Revised (TARF-R). Then, 17 of these participants (n assistance dogs = 14; n companion dogs = 3) completed a semi-structured interview. Results The quantitative data analyses showed that parents with assistance dogs were significantly more satisfied: t (83) = −2.12, p = .037, d = 0.49. Significant associations between some sociodemographic variables (e.g., number of children, comorbid condition, reasons for acquiring a dog) and acceptability/satisfaction (TARF-R total scores) were found. The qualitative analysis revealed that families with both dog types observed positive effects. Conclusions In brief, having an assistance dog constitutes a significant added value; nevertheless, both types of dogs are appreciated.