College of Veterinary Medicine, Center for the Human-Animal Bond, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, Center for Research and Education, Cleveland, OH, USA.
Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2020 Jul;15(5):499-509. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2019.1587015. Epub 2019 Mar 25.
To qualitatively describe and compare the expectations and experiences of living with a mobility or medical service dog among those with a physical disability or chronic condition. A total of 64 participants living with a service dog and 27 on the waitlist to receive a service dog participated in a cross-sectional open-ended survey. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify themes and sub-themes. A total of 101 codes were summarized into themes of Physical Benefits, Psychosocial Benefits, and Drawbacks to having a service dog. Psychosocial benefits included the human-animal relationship as well as emotional, quality of life, and social benefits. Drawbacks included service dog care, public access and education, lifestyle adjustments, and dog behaviour. While participants on the waitlist were more likely to anticipate physical benefits of having a service dog, those with a service dog largely described psychosocial benefits. Findings also suggest that some drawbacks, such as public discrimination, may be unanticipated by the waitlist. A comparison of expectations and experiences of service dog ownership highlights both the positive and negative aspects of the service dog-owner relationship and identifies potential aspects of having a service dog that may be unanticipated or overestimated by those on the waitlist.Implications for RehabilitationWhen asked about helpful and important aspects of having a service dog, 98% of service dog owners described the psychosocial benefits of their dog's assistance and companionship.The human-animal relationship was the most discussed psychosocial benefit from both current owners as well as those on the waitlist, demonstrating the unique strength of the service dog-owner bond in this population.Those on the waitlist to receive a service dog did not anticipate as many drawbacks as current owners described. In particular, difficulties with public access and education as well as dog behaviour were commonly experienced, but not expected, drawbacks to service dog ownership.Findings identify aspects of having a service dog that may be unanticipated or overestimated by those on the waitlist, providing rehabilitation professionals with a basis for preparing those who may be considering incorporating a service dog into their lives.
为了定性描述和比较身体残疾或慢性病患者对使用导盲犬或医疗服务犬的期望和体验。共有 64 名与服务犬一起生活的参与者和 27 名等待接受服务犬的参与者参加了一项横断面开放式调查。采用定性内容分析来确定主题和子主题。共总结了 101 个代码，主题包括身体益处、心理社会益处和使用服务犬的缺点。心理社会益处包括人与动物的关系以及情感、生活质量和社会效益。缺点包括服务犬护理、公共访问和教育、生活方式调整以及犬行为。虽然等待名单上的人更有可能预期使用服务犬的身体益处，但那些拥有服务犬的人主要描述了心理社会益处。研究结果还表明，一些缺点，如公众歧视，可能是等待名单上的人所没有预料到的。对服务犬拥有权的期望和体验进行比较，突出了服务犬-主人关系的积极和消极方面，并确定了一些可能是等待名单上的人所没有预料到或高估的服务犬方面。
对康复的启示当被问及拥有服务犬的有益和重要方面时，98%的服务犬主人描述了他们的狗的帮助和陪伴的心理社会益处。
人际关系是当前所有者以及等待名单上的人讨论最多的心理社会益处，这表明在这一人群中，服务犬-主人关系具有独特的优势。
等待接受服务犬的人并没有像当前所有者描述的那样预料到那么多的缺点。特别是，公共访问和教育以及犬行为方面的困难是常见的，但不是预期的，是服务犬拥有的缺点。
研究结果确定了一些可能是等待名单上的人没有预料到或高估的服务犬方面，为康复专业人员提供了一个基础，以便为那些可能考虑将服务犬融入生活的人做好准备。
