Medical Information Only. Always consult your healthcare provider before enrolling in any clinical trial.
NCT03873831 · ClinicalTrials.gov registry record · NA
Effects of Therapy Dogs on Social Behavior in Group Social Skills Instruction With Children With Autism
A NA study, sponsored by Texas Tech University.
- Completed
- Registry status
- NA
- Development phase
- 72
- Enrollment target
NCT03873831 is a NA study that has completed, run by Texas Tech University. The registered enrollment target is 72 participants.
The verdict
NCT03873831, a NA study, has completed, sponsored by Texas Tech University.
- COMPLETED
- Registry status
- NA
- Development phase
- 72 participants
- Enrollment target
Study Summary
Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) can increase social behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although the mechanism by which this occurs remains elusive. The central goal of this project is to identify the mechanisms involved in the social-enhancing effect of dogs on children with ASD. The investigators will incorporate therapy dogs into an established evidence-based, group social skills instruction program for children with ASD, using a controlled experimental design with between- and within- subject comparisons and physiological and behavioral outcome measures. The investigators predict therapy dogs to have a specific and measurable effect on children's social behavior and that this effect is gained through identifiable mechanisms. Specifically, the investigators hypothesize that (1) an integration of therapy dogs into group social skills instruction will result in reduced stress and improved social behavior compare to traditional group instruction; (2) repeated exposure to the therapy dog across sessions will increase a child's preference for spending time with the dog and will increase the social-enhancing effects of the dog; and (3) that the therapists will experience less stress, engage in more social and affiliative behavior towards the children, and deliver higher quality instruction during sessions that include dogs. The investigators will enroll 72 children with ASD into group social skills instruction classes taught by 6 therapists. Each child will experience a 10-week, 8-student class in which either (a) the first 5 weeks will involve a therapy dog, (b) the last 5 weeks will involve the therapy dog, or (c) the class will not involve a therapy dog. The therapists will teach the courses repeatedly across the three cycles of the program with different children, rotating through each condition. Social behavior, stress behavior, heart rate, electrodermal activity, and salivary cortisol concentrations of children and therapists will be ass
Interventions
- BEHAVIORAL Animal-assisted intervention
- BEHAVIORAL Social skills group
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 72 participants |
| Start Date | 2019-05-15 |
| Est. Completion | 2021-04-26 |
| Phase | NA |
Interested in This Trial?
Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT03873831
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03873831 describes a study currently listed as completed, categorized as NA. The registered enrollment target is 72 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Texas Tech University, which has 69 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov.
The record links to 0 conditions, and to 2 interventions - of which Animal-assisted intervention is the first listed.
NCT03873831 reports 0 study locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT03873831 about?
NCT03873831 is a clinical study titled "Effects of Therapy Dogs on Social Behavior in Group Social Skills Instruction With Children With Autism". Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI) can increase social behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), although the mechanism by which this occurs remains elusive. The central goal of this project is to identify the mechanisms involved in the social-enhancing effect of dogs on children wi...
What is the current status of trial NCT03873831?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 72 participants. The study started on 2019-05-15. Estimated completion is 2021-04-26.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03873831?
The interventions under investigation include: Animal-assisted intervention (BEHAVIORAL), Social skills group (BEHAVIORAL).
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03873831?
This trial is sponsored by Texas Tech University, which has 69 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Learn More About Clinical Trials
Explore more on PlainTrial
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Every figure on PlainTrial is rendered directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov registry, no number is typed in by an editor. This page mirrors this trial's own ClinicalTrials.gov registry record, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.