Behavioral Assessment Questionnaire Research Articles

Severity of inattention symptoms, experiences of being bullied, and school anxiety as mediators in the association between excessive short-form video viewing and school refusal behaviors in adolescents.

Recent years have seen an increase in school refusal behavior among adolescents, potentially due to factors like excessive short-form video viewing, bullying, and school anxiety. Limited research has investigated how these factors contribute to school refusal behavior. This study used random forest regression, path analysis, and network analysis to identify key variables and pathways leading to school refusal behavior. In this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study, 2,056 (996 male, 1,060 female, mean age: 14.79 ± 1.24 years) middle and senior high school students were asked to complete the School Refusal Behavior Assessment questionnaire to assess school refusal behavior features, the Excessive Short-Form Video Viewing Scale as well as self-reported viewing times during leisure days to assess excessive short-form video viewing, the SNAP-IV Rating Scale to assess the severity of inattention symptoms, and the self-administered questionnaires to assess experiences of being bullied and school anxiety. The prevalence of school refusal behavior in the surveyed adolescents was found to be 31.9% [95% confidence interval (CI): 29.8-33.9%]. In terms of significance, the severity of inattention symptoms exhibited the greatest predictive power, while excessive short-form video viewing accounted for the most variance. Path analysis revealed that excessive short-form video viewing not only directly affects school refusal behavior features but also does so indirectly through severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. Key bridge factors in this pathway include intense fear and anxiety associated with school attendance, manifesting as somatic symptoms and avoidance behaviors. The findings indicate that not only does excessive short-form video viewing directly influence school refusal behavior features in adolescents, but it also indirectly impacts these features through mechanisms involving severity of inattention symptoms and school anxiety. The bridge factors highlight potential targets for interventions among the SRB features and predictors.

Dose-dependent responses: a preliminary investigation into the olfactory effects of essential oil concentrations on canine behavior.

The positive impact of essential oils (EOs) on stress release has been demonstrated in both humans and dogs. Among the EOs known for their anxiety-reducing properties, including Cananga odorata, Citrus aurantium, Cupressus sempervirens, Lavandula angustifolia, and Litsea citrata, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal concentration for efficacy. This exploratory study sought to investigate the effects of olfactory enrichment with a blend of these EOs on dogs introduced to an unfamiliar environment. The authors sought to determine the minimum concentration required to achieve increased relaxation. In a randomized controlled crossover study design, 54 dogs were exposed to 0, 1, 5, and 10 drops of the EO blend applied to their collars before entering an unfamiliar room with their owners. Behavioral observations were employed to quantify the total duration of activity and relaxation related behaviours for each dog under each treatment condition. A significant difference in panting was identified among the treatments (χ2(3) = 9.88; p = 0.020). Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc tests revealed a significant reduction in panting during the 10 drops treatment compared to the control treatment (p = 0.047). No significant differences were observed for other behaviors. To provide a comprehensive overview of behavioral tendencies in this canine population, owners also completed the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), revealing low scores for anxiety in the study group. These preliminary findings suggest that a concentration of 10 drops of the EO blend on a dog's collar induces increased relaxation, specifically reflected in decreased panting behavior. Lower concentrations did not exhibit a significant relationship with the observed behaviors. These initial findings underscore the importance of exposing dogs to an appropriate concentration of EOs when exploring their potential benefits on welfare among dogs with low anxiety levels. Further research in this area is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits of EOs for canine welfare.

Workplace wellness across the lifespan: A pilot program for health promotion in a low- and middle-income country.

Considering that a sizable segment of the population spends significant amount of time at work, workplaces have been identified as practical platforms for health educational programs. Although employee wellness programs in high-income countries have shown measurable benefits in productivity and physical and mental health, evidence-based programs in low- and middle-income countries, such as Lebanon, are unavailable. The aim is to develop and implement a pilot workplace wellness program focusing on health-related areas to improve health knowledge and behavior among working men and women of reproductive age. In collaboration with March of Dimes, the National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network developed a culturally sensitive health education program focusing on lifestyle, infection, nutrition and family planning. Sessions were delivered by a multidisciplinary team of specialists at a local bank in Lebanon. To assess the impact of the program, participants completed Knowledge and Behavior Assessment Questionnaire (KBAQ) before and after implementation. KBAQ was conducted 6 months after implementation to measure retention and continuing impact. Forty-seven participants completed the program, of whom 44.7% are male, 98% have university degree and 56.5% are married. Total knowledge score improved significantly from 64.2 to 74.3 and remained significant at 6 months post-implementation with a score of 71.7 (p < 0.001). At 6-month follow-up, emotional score improved (p = 0.028), while smoking decreased (p = 0.008). Also, employees' health knowledge and behavior showed sustained and significant improvement. We plan to implement our program at other sites and among employees from different backgrounds to understand the impact of the wellness program on employees' knowledge and behaviors at a larger scale.

Comparing standard screening questionnaires of canine behavior for assessment of cognitive dysfunction.

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a common, yet underdiagnosed neurodegenerative disease affecting older dogs. Treatment is most effective when started early, so identifying mild cognitive decline in the earlier stages of the disease is considered important. To compare the results of three different standard screening questionnaires [Canine Dementia Scale (CADES), Canine Cognitive Assessment Scale (CCAS), and Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Rating Scale (CCDR)] for CCD diagnosis. Trainability, pain sensitivity, and fear were additionally assessed with the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) in order to evaluate associations between the three dementia scales and behavior. An online survey containing all the mentioned questionnaires was designed for and distributed among owners of elderly dogs. Data from 597 dogs were analyzed. Overall, the scores of the three CCD questionnaires correlated well with each other, especially those of the CADES and CCAS. The CADES was more sensitive in identifying dogs with already mild to moderate cognitive impairment, while the others classified them as still undergoing normal aging. CCD scores increased for all questionnaires with age with spatial orientation being a key feature in CCD development. Trainability assessed with the C-BARQ decreased significantly with severity of CCD signs, while pain sensitivity increased. Fear and anxiety was pronounced in animals with mild but not with severe CCD. These associations based on the C-BARQ were more clearly observable in relation to CADES and CCDR than CCAS. The choice of screening questionnaire impacts the evaluation of cognitive status and severity of CCD. Thresholds for severity classification differ significantly and may have an impact on reliable assessment. Further longitudinal studies are required to determine which of the questionnaires investigated in this study is best suited for early detection of CCD.

Validation of the shortened version of the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) using participants from the Dog Aging Project.

The Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) is a 100-item owner-completed survey instrument used for assessing behavior and temperament of companion dogs. The shortened version of the C-BARQ (C-BARQ(S)) consists of 42 items of the long C-BARQ. We aimed to validate the shortened C-BARQ(S) by comparing it with the long questionnaire in the same human-dog pair. We examined data from a nationwide cohort of companion dogs enrolled in the large-scale longitudinal Dog Aging Project (DAP) study. Among 435 participating owners who completed both the long and shortened versions of the C-BARQ within 60 days of each other, agreement between individual questions of the long and shortened C-BARQ using an unweighted kappa statistic and percent agreement was examined. Associations between the two questionnaires for mean behavior and temperament domain scores and mean miscellaneous category scores were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Of 435 dogs in the study, the mean (SD) age was 7.3 (4.3) years and 216 (50%) were female. Kappa values between the long and shortened C-BARQ for individual questions within the 14 behavior and temperament domains and a miscellaneous category ranged from fair to moderate (0.23 to 0.40 for 21 items and 0.41 to 0.58 for 26 items, respectively). Pearson correlation coefficients above 0.60 between both questionnaires for 12 of the 14 mean behavior and temperament domain scores and a category of miscellaneous items were observed. Kappa values for individual questions between the long and shortened C-BARQ ranged from fair to moderate and correlations between mean domain scores ranged from moderate to strong.

A preliminary analysis of the effect of individual differences on cognitive performance in young companion dogs

Many factors influence cognitive performance in dogs, including breed, temperament, rearing history, and training. Studies in working dog populations have demonstrated age-related improvements in cognitive task performance across the first years of development. However, the effect of certain factors, such as age, sex, and temperament, on cognitive performance in puppies has yet to be evaluated in a more diverse population of companion dogs. In this study, companion dogs under 12 months of age were tested once on two tasks purported to measure aspects of executive function: the delayed-search task (DST) and the detour reversal task (DRT). Owners also filled out the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) to evaluate how temperament influenced task performance. Contrary to prior research, performance did not improve with age on either task. However, the lack of age effects was likely the result of small sample sizes and individual differences across other factors influencing performance. Specifically, temperament differences as measured by the C-BARQ subscales for nonsocial fear and excitability predicted task performance on the DST, but the effect of temperament on task performance differed between males and females. Excitability also predicted performance on the DRT, but the effect depended on the age of the dog. In addition, no correlations were observed between task measures, indicating a lack of construct validity. Overall, these findings provide a preliminary analysis of factors that appear to influence cognitive task performance in young companion dogs and highlight suggestions for future research evaluating the impact of individual differences on cognitive performance.

Explanatory factors for problematic cybersex behaviour: the importance of negative emotions

Cybersex encompasses a wide range of behaviors that use information and communication technologies as a means of access to obtain sexual gratification, a phenomenon that can take on problematic patterns. The main objective of the study is to propose a model that explains the extent to which online sexual activities and the negative emotionality associated with them can generate a tolerance phenomenon characterized by an increase in the frequency and intensity of cybersex behaviors. To this end, the Cybersex Behavioral Assessment Questionnaire was administered to a sample of 369 individuals. The results show that online sexual behavior and the presence of negative emotions during the performance of these activities influence the occurrence of tolerance, which is characterized by an increase and variety of activities with increasingly extreme typology. These findings may have implications for education and healthcare.

Development of a modified C-BARQ for evaluating behavior in working dogs.

Current high demand for effective odor detection dogs calls for the development of reliable methods for measuring performance-related behavioral phenotypes in these highly specialized working animals. The Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) is a widely used behavioral assessment tool among working dog organizations with a demonstrated ability to predict success/failure of dogs in training. However, this instrument was developed originally to study the prevalence of behavior problems in the pet dog population, and it therefore lacks the capacity to measure specific behavioral propensities that may also be important predictors of working dog success. The current paper examines the factor structure, internal reliability, and content validity of a modified version of the C-BARQ designed to evaluate four new domains of canine behavior in addition to those encompassed by the original C-BARQ. These domains, labeled Playfulness, Impulsivity, Distractibility, and Basophobia (fear of falling), respectively, describe aspects of canine behavior or temperament which are believed to contribute substantially to working dog performance. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of owner/handler questionnaire responses based on a sample of 1,117 working odor detection dogs. A total of 15 factors were extracted by EFA, 10 of which correspond to original C-BARQ factors. The remaining 5 comprise the four new domains- Playfulness, Impulsivity, Distractibility, and Basophobia- as well as a fifth new factor labeled Food focus. The resulting Working Dog Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (WDC-BARQ) successfully expands the measurement capacities of the original C-BARQ to include dimensions of behavior/temperament of particular relevance to many working dog populations.

Digitally-enhanced dog behavioral testing

Behavioral traits in dogs are assessed for a wide range of purposes such as determining selection for breeding, chance of being adopted or prediction of working aptitude. Most methods for assessing behavioral traits are questionnaire or observation-based, requiring significant amounts of time, effort and expertise. In addition, these methods might be also susceptible to subjectivity and bias, negatively impacting their reliability. In this study, we proposed an automated computational approach that may provide a more objective, robust and resource-efficient alternative to current solutions. Using part of a ‘Stranger Test’ protocol, we tested n = 53 dogs for their response to the presence and neutral actions of a stranger. Dog coping styles were scored by three dog behavior experts. Moreover, data were collected from their owners/trainers using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). An unsupervised clustering of the dogs’ trajectories revealed two main clusters showing a significant difference in the stranger-directed fear C-BARQ category, as well as a good separation between (sufficiently) relaxed dogs and dogs with excessive behaviors towards strangers based on expert scoring. Based on the clustering, we obtained a machine learning classifier for expert scoring of coping styles towards strangers, which reached an accuracy of 78%. We also obtained a regression model predicting C-BARQ scores with varying performance, the best being Owner-Directed Aggression (with a mean average error of 0.108) and Excitability (with a mean square error of 0.032). This case study demonstrates a novel paradigm of ‘machine-based’ dog behavioral assessment, highlighting the value and great promise of AI in this context.

The protective effects of meaning in life on the relationships between attachment anxiety, rumination, and nonsuicidal self-injury: A moderated mediation model

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), which refers to the direct and deliberate destruction of one’s body tissues without the intention of death, is a serious public health problem. Attachment anxiety is an important predictor of NSSI, but the underlying mechanisms between their relationship need to be further explored. This study examined the mediating role of rumination and the moderating role of meaning in life in the relationship between attachment anxiety and NSSI. MethodsThe study was cross-sectional, and 2,716 Chinese junior high school students (53.3 % male; Mage = 12.25 years, SD = 0.86) were measured by the attachment anxiety subscale of Experience of Close Relationships-Relationship Structures Scale, the Rumination Responses Scale, the Self-Injurious Behavior Assessment Questionnaire, and the Meaning in Life Questionnaire. ResultsThe results showed: (1) attachment anxiety, rumination and NSSI were significantly and positively correlated; (2) rumination partially mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and NSSI; (3) meaning in life moderated the pathways of attachment anxiety → NSSI and rumination → NSSI respectively. ConclusionsFindings of the study further reveal the mechanism underlying the relationship between attachment anxiety and NSSI from a cognitive perspective, and also help provide ideas for the prevention and intervention of adolescents NSSI (i.e., improving adolescents’ meaning in life).

Comparison between the canine behavioral assessment and research questionnaire and monash canine personality questionnaire – Revised to predict training outcome in apprentice assistance dogs

Ratings of canine behaviour and personality are a convenient method used by dog training organisations to gather information about prospective and trainee dogs. The objective of this study was to compare the use of two rating questionnaires to predict training outcomes in assistance dogs. It was of interest to investigate the predictive power of a questionnaire answered by the dog trainer in case no puppy raiser questionnaire was available. Two standardised ratings were used, in particular, the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) was completed by puppy raisers around the time the dogs started formal training and the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire - Revised (MCPQ-R) was completed by dog trainers at ten weeks of training. Rating data were independently analysed to investigate their relationship with training outcomes. The results from the univariate logistic regression analysis were used to select the variables for the reduced feature sets that were used for modelling. The novel machine learning models built with data collected using the C-BARQ and MCPQ-R achieved similar performance in predicting training outcomes, an area under the ROC curve of 0.84 and 0.85, respectively. The novel models developed in this research were the most effective early prediction of suitability for assistance work compared to previously reported studies. The MCPQ-R was demonstrated for the first time to be a reliable canine behavioural assessment method for estimating future outcomes in trainee dogs. The dataset and code used are publicly available on GitHub.

No bones about it: The effect of chewing on cognition in dogs

No work to date has examined the possible enriching effect of chewing on cognition in dogs despite strong relationships shown in other species. In the current study we examined whether the provision of chew toys affected dogs performance on two memory tests and if this relationship was influenced by dogs fearfulness. Kenneled working dogs were assessed on a working memory and maze test on separate days directly after being provided with a chew toy for a five-minute period. We compared chewing audio, extracted from video footage taken during the chew period and quantified using a convolutional neural network (CNN), and fearfulness as measured by a validated behavioral survey (Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire), to performance on each task. We found that in dogs with high levels of fearfulness, a higher frequency of chewing resulted in better working memory performance, while in dogs with low levels of fearfulness, a higher frequency of chewing resulted in poorer working memory performance. We also found that dogs with a higher maximum bite intensity displayed better performance on the maze test. These results are the first to suggest that chewing may have positive benefits on cognition in dogs and that this relationship may be pronounced in dogs with high fearfulness.

The validation of Thai version of Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) and the exploration of dog ownership in Thailand

C-BARQ (Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire) is one of the effective and well-known tools to evaluate dog behavior by owners through a questionnaire. The C-BARQ has been translated into several languages and is used in many countries. The present study aimed to translate and adapt the English version of C-BARQ to the Thai version and validate it regarding the guidelines of cross-cultural adaptation. The C-BARQ was translated into the Thai language and translated back to English. The validation of the Thai C-BARQ was done by 40 dog owner volunteers before releasing the Thai C-BARQ online version via social media advertising for 3 months. According to demographic data, women were the majority of dog owners in Thailand (88.34%), and one-third of respondents (30.16%) lived in Bangkok, the capital city. Thai dogs mostly lived in detached houses (79.93%) and were fed conventional diet (66.83%). The majority (37.99%) of the dog owners were in the adult age group (31–40 years old). Male and female dog populations were almost equal (54.13%: 45.87%) and half of the dogs were neutered (50.63%). By factor analysis, 12 factors with 63 items were identified from the C-BARQ data of 1,827 dog owners. All factors of the Thai version of C-BARQ have acceptable reliability with the coefficient of Cronbach’s alpha values ranged between 0.697 and 0.938. Thus, the validation of Thai version of C-BARQ in the present study could be a dependable and applicable tool for assessing dog behavior in Thailand.

Structural connectome alterations in anxious dogs: a DTI-based study

Anxiety and fear are dysfunctional behaviors commonly observed in domesticated dogs. Although dogs and humans share psychopathological similarities, little is known about how dysfunctional fear behaviors are represented in brain networks in dogs diagnosed with anxiety disorders. A combination of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and graph theory was used to investigate the underlying structural connections of dysfunctional anxiety in anxious dogs and compared with healthy dogs with normal behavior. The degree of anxiety was assessed using the Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), a widely used, validated questionnaire for abnormal behaviors in dogs. Anxious dogs showed significantly decreased clustering coefficient ({C}_{p}), decreased global efficiency ({E}_{glob}), and increased small-worldness (σ) when compared with healthy dogs. The nodal parameters that differed between the anxious dogs and healthy dogs were mainly located in the posterior part of the brain, including the occipital lobe, posterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, mesencephalon, and cerebellum. Furthermore, the nodal degree ({K}_{i}) of the left cerebellum was significantly negatively correlated with “excitability” in the C-BARQ of anxious dogs. These findings could contribute to the understanding of a disrupted brain structural connectome underlying the pathological mechanisms of anxiety-related disorders in dogs.

Nurses’ Caring Behavior Based on Personality

Psychological factors, including the characteristics of personality, influence caring behaviour. In this case, nurses can be assessed for their caring behaviour in nursing services through their personality characteristics. The characteristics of a nurse's personality influence the provision of the quality of nursing services carried out. This study aimed to determine the relationship between personality characteristics and hospital nurses' caring behaviour. A cross-sectional study was adopted involving 72 nurses of a Stella Maris Hospital in Makassar selected by purposive sampling. Data were collected from Caring Behavior Assessment (CBA) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) test results. Statistical analysis used the chi-square test. The study indicated that most nurses were extroverts (66,7%) and had a caring attitude. Based on the chi-square statistical test, a value of p = 0.000 (α = 0.05) was obtained, meaning a significant relationship exists between personality characteristics and caring behaviour. Extrovert personality types care more compared to introvert personality types because their attitudes are intelligent in speaking, anxiety-free, not easily embarrassed, not awkward, friendly, gregarious, able to cooperate, adaptable, flexible, and usually conservative. Therefore, this study recommends hiring nurses who have extrovert characteristics.

0120 Interactions between Temperament and Parent-Child Relationship Quality in Early Childhood and Sleep in Middle Childhood

Abstract Introduction Effects of child temperament on biopsychosocial outcomes, including sleep, are known to differ based on parent-child relationship quality (PCRQ). However, previous studies have primarily focused solely on early childhood, relied on subjective reports of PCRQ and sleep, and have neglected to examine variability in sleep, which is an important dimension of sleep health. We examined whether there were interactions between temperament and objectively measured PCRQ during early childhood in association with actigraphy measured sleep (average and variability) in middle childhood. Methods Participants included 90 preschoolers (mean age=4.24 years, SD=0.81) who were 47% female; 37% White, 17% Black, 47% other racial groups; and 46% Hispanic. Thirty-four percent experienced moderate to severe maltreatment. PCRQ was coded from a video-recorded free-play task between each child and their primary caregiver. Child temperament dimensions including Activity Level, Anger, Social Fear, Inhibitory Control, and Appropriate Attentional Allocation were measured with the parent-report Toddler Behavior Assessment Questionnaire. Child Mean and SDs of total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency (SE) were generated from actigraphy data collected for two weeks during a follow-up study when participants were ages 8-11. Results There were no direct effects of any of the temperament variables or PCRQ on sleep. In models adjusted for demographic characteristics and number of adversities experienced, greater attentional allocation was associated with greater average TST only among those children high in PCRQ (estimate = 20.59, 95% CI = 5.19, 35.99). For every one unit increase in attentional allocation score (possible range 1:7), there is a more than 20 min increase in mean TST. In contrast, greater activity levels were associated with better average sleep efficiency, only among those low in PCRQ (estimate = 2.35, 95% CI = 0.46, 4.24). For each unit increase in activity level score, there was a 2% increase in sleep efficiency. Conclusion Findings extend cross-sectional research in early childhood and provide support for models showing that children have differing susceptibility to the effects of temperament on sleep, depending on PCRQ. Support (if any) NIMH R01 MH083704, NICHD R01 HD086487, NICHD, R01 HD095837, SRCD Small Grant for Early Career Scholars, T32HD101392, NIGMS P20 GM139767.

Factors associated with pet dog behavior in Thailand.

Dog behavior problems pose serious public health and economic and animal welfare concerns. There are many factors influencing dog behavior. This study aims to explore factors associated with pet dog behavior in Thailand using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). The Thai version of the C-BARQ was validated in 2022. The online C-BARQ survey (Google Forms) was advertised and distributed on social media for 3 months. There were a total of 1827 respondents to the survey. The relationship among 12 subscales and variables was analyzed using Spearman's correlation. "Excitability," "attachment- and attention-seeking," and "chasing" were the three most reported behavior problems. "Trainability," a favored dog behavior, also had a high score in the study. These behaviors were associated with the owner's age, house type, the dog's historical background, the number of dogs and the presence of other species in the household, the dog's training, diet types, and the daily number of meals. The lowest mean score was for "owner-directed aggression," and it was associated with the dog's gender and size, the number of dogs and the presence of other species in the household, the dog's training, and the number of daily meals. This is the first empirical study demonstrating factors related to dog behavior in Thailand. It provides an in-depth understanding of the prevalence and factors associated with Thai pet dog behavior and important knowledge for further studies to advocate for dog-human relationships and contribute to a reduction in dog abandonment in Thailand.

Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ): Validation of the Italian Translation.

The aim of this study is to develop an Italian translation of the 100-item Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) version and to validate its psychometric properties, in order to facilitate systematic, large-scale studies on dog behavior for Italian-speaking dog owners. A total number of 803 responses by dog owners were collected online. Using the Principal Axis Method and Common Factor Analysis with Quartimin oblique rotation (p < 0.05), a factorial structure was found including 13 factors composed of 62 items and explaining 53.5% of the total variance. Eight factors showed high reliability (Cronbach's alpha > 0.70), namely: stranger-directed aggression/fear, dog-directed fear, owner-directed aggression, separation-related behavior, chasing, dog-directed aggression, attachment/attention seeking, and elimination problems. Three factors were slightly under the threshold and two had only modest reliability (non-social fear, energy level, touch sensitivity, excitability and trainability). A potential explanation for factors with low reliability is that the composing items do not describe behaviors resulting from homogeneous stimuli or situations. Although our factorial structure resembled in most respects that of the most recently published Canadian version, some important exceptions are present regarding dog rivalry, intraspecific aggression, fear/aggression towards strangers, touch sensitivity and chewing inappropriate objects. Such differences may be due to demographic and/or cultural differences between the sampled populations. Overall, the results suggest that a 62-item Italian C-BARQ can be reliably used in studies on dog behavior.

Selection of Appropriate Dogs to Be Therapy Dogs Using the C-BARQ.

In recent years, therapy dogs in medical and assisted living facilities have become popular in Japan, and the demand for such dogs has increased. However, some owners have their dogs take this test, which evaluates the dog's talent, without understanding what is required of the test. The system needs to teach owners in an understandable way whether their dog is suitable to become a therapy dog so that the owners can determine if their dog is ready to be tested. Therefore, we suggest that easy at-home testing is likely to encourage dog owners to apply for their dog to take the aptitude test. If more dogs take the test, more therapy dogs can be born. The purpose of this study was to identify the personality traits of therapy dogs that pass the aptitude test by using the Canine Behavior Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ). The C-BARQ was administered to dogs that previously passed the aptitude test for therapy training at the Hokkaido Volunteer Dog Association, assessing their behavioural displays. A factor analysis was conducted for each questionnaire item, and a total of 98 items were analyzed. Data were collected from the results of 110 dogs encompassing 30 dog breeds, with the most common breeds including Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and Toy Poodles. Factor analysis revealed that 14 extracted factors should be evaluated. Given these personality traits and the fact that breed and age did not influence aptitude, we believe that a variety of dogs have the potential to become therapy dogs.

A comparison of the behavioral effects of ketamine and propofol sedation in the pediatric endoscopy unit

Introduction: Hospitalization and anesthesia can have a harmful psychological impact on children, leading to behavioral abnormalities. Using the Post Hospitalization Behavior Questionnaire for Ambulatory Surgery (PHBQ-AS) version of the Post Hospitalization Behavior Questionnaire for daycase patients, the objective of this study is to assess the differences between ketamine and propofol and propofol alone use following anesthesia. Materials and methods: After receiving approval from the ethics committee, 84 children ages 2 to 18 who would undergo sedation surgery at the pediatric endoscopy-colonoscopy unit at Ankara City Hospital were enrolled in the study. Group K consisted of 27 patients sedated with ketamine and propofol, while group P consisted of 57 children sedated with propofol. To detect postoperative behavioral alterations in these youngsters, a questionnaire (POBQ-AS) was administered soon prior to the procedure and on the third day following it. Results: Pre-procedural Behavior Assessment Questionnaire Total scores were comparable for both groups. The measures on the third day following the surgery were also comparable. The Post-procedure Behavior Evaluation Questionnaire Total Score increased significantly (p 0.05) in both groups compared to the pre-procedure score. In Group K, the answers to the questions "Is he disconnected to his environment?" and "Does he become depressed when left alone?" increased significantly more than in the other group (p 0.05). Conclusion: Pediatric perioperative behavioral problem may be common. On the third postoperative day, sedative applications involving ketamine and propofol induce detrimental behavioral alterations, according to this study. In our patient group selected from the endoscopy unit to exclude factors such as mask induction, muscle relaxants, inhalation anesthetics, and surgical incision pain, we believe that only the negative behavioral changes of the intravenous anesthetics ketamine and propofol, as well as factors such as inflammation, surgical stress, and neurotoxicity, should be the focus of future research.