Driscoll Carlie J, Hill Jessica, Torre Anna, Pachana Nancy
Animal-Assisted Interventions Research Alliance, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2024 May 22;14(11):1527. doi: 10.3390/ani14111527.
The reported positive outcomes of animal-assisted services have led to an emerging interest in many different aspects of human-animal interactions. The influence of an assistance animal is thought to encompass several psychosocial domains in the life of a person with a significant health impairment. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Hearing Dogs and their owners. A prospective study design using a written questionnaire method was utilized to survey 58 current and 23 prospective Australian Lions Hearing Dogs owners. The Pet Expectations Inventory (PEI) was used to investigate the anticipated role of Hearing Dogs in waitlisted persons with hearing loss/Deafness, whereas the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS) was completed by current owners to assess emotional attachment. The results revealed a high mean PEI score (M = 73.1, SD = 10.9, Mdn = 73.0, range: 55-91), with prospective owners strongly expecting the role of Hearing Dogs to include companionship/love and security. Furthermore, strong attachment features were evident in the owners' relationships with Hearing Dogs, as demonstrated by a high total LAPS score (M = 81.2, SD = 7.5, range: 63-91). Mean scores for statements within the "people substitution" category were highest (range = 3.6/4.00-3.9/4.00). In this demographically homogenous study cohort, it appeared that the high expectations of potential Hearing Dog owners for their animals to serve supportive roles beyond hearing assistance should be achievable, as evidenced by the strong attachment relationships displayed between Hearing Dogs and their owners.
动物辅助服务所报告的积极成果引发了人们对人兽互动诸多不同方面的新兴兴趣。辅助动物的影响被认为涵盖了健康严重受损者生活中的几个心理社会领域。然而，对于导听犬与其主人之间关系的潜在机制却知之甚少。本研究采用前瞻性研究设计，运用书面问卷调查法，对58名现任和23名未来的澳大利亚狮子会导听犬主人进行了调查。使用宠物期望量表（PEI）来调查导听犬在听力损失/失聪的候补人员中预期发挥的作用，而现任主人则完成了列克星敦宠物依恋量表（LAPS）以评估情感依恋。结果显示，PEI平均得分较高（M = 73.1，SD = 10.9，Mdn = 73.0，范围：55 - 91），未来主人强烈期望导听犬的作用包括陪伴/关爱和安全感。此外，主人与导听犬的关系中明显存在强烈的依恋特征，LAPS总得分较高（M = 81.2，SD = 7.5，范围：63 - 91）即可证明。“人际替代”类别中各陈述的平均得分最高（范围 = 3.6/4.00 - 3.9/4.00）。在这个人口统计学特征同质化的研究队列中，潜在导听犬主人对其动物在听力辅助之外发挥支持作用的高度期望似乎是可以实现的，导听犬与其主人之间展现出的强烈依恋关系就是证明。
