Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, University of Missouri, 900 East Campus Drive, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, 900 East Campus Drive, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2020 Aug;50(8):2793-2805. doi: 10.1007/s10803-020-04390-x.
The study goal was to explore companion animal (CA) ownership in families of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including parents' beliefs about benefits and burdens of CAs, as well as parent stress. Participants (N = 764) completed online survey instruments anonymously. Findings revealed that parents with lower incomes perceived more benefits of CAs and their children were more strongly bonded with their CAs. Parents owning both a dog and cat perceived more benefits than those with only a dog or cat. Dog owners perceived more benefits than cat owners. Parents who perceived their CAs as providing more benefits had less stress. Provider implications are to consider recommending CAs to families of children with ASD for family benefits including lower parental stress.
本研究旨在探讨自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）儿童家庭中伴侣动物（CA）的拥有情况，包括父母对 CA 的益处和负担的看法，以及父母的压力。参与者（N=764）匿名完成在线调查工具。研究结果表明，收入较低的父母认为 CA 有更多的益处，他们的孩子与 CA 关系更紧密。同时拥有狗和猫的父母比只养狗或猫的父母认为 CA 有更多的益处。养狗的父母比养猫的父母认为 CA 有更多的益处。那些认为 CA 提供更多益处的父母压力较小。这一发现对服务提供者具有重要意义，因为他们可以考虑向 ASD 儿童的家庭推荐 CA，以带来包括降低父母压力在内的家庭益处。
