Physical Activity, Social Wellbeing
Conditions
Brief summary
The study purpose is to evaluate a novel multidisciplinary approach to fostering a therapeutic partnership between the participants with developmental disabilities and the participants family dog. This will culminate in an Animal Assisted Intervention aimed at increasing activity levels, enhancing social support, and increasing feeling of responsibility and wellbeing within this population.
Detailed description
The goal of this proposal is to evaluate a large scale novel multidisciplinary approach to fostering atherapeutic partnership between adolescents with developmental disabilities (DD) and the participants family dog. The investigators will evaluate imitative 'Do As I Do' (DAID) training into a unique Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) aimed at increasing activity levels, enhancing social support by promoting a stronger dog-human bond, and increasing feelings of responsibility and wellbeing within this population. The investigators propose to address the critical need for empirical evaluation of novel theoretically based multi-site animal assisted interventions through the following specific aims. Specific Aim 1: To evaluate a novel multi-site DAID dog training intervention to promote physical activity in adolescents with developmental disabilities. Specific Aim 2: To evaluate the impact of a multi-site DAID intervention on the adolescent's quality of life and feelings of social wellbeing. Specific Aim 3: To evaluate the impact of a multi-site DAID intervention on the child-dog relationship and mutual wellbeing. Participant Population: Adolescent participants with a developmental disability, between the ages of 10-17 years will be recruited through community-based programs/organizations associated with children with DDs in around our sites. A DD will be confirmed through parent report (e.g., initial recruitment conversations, and documented through the initial demographic questionnaire).
Interventions
BEHAVIORALDo As I Do (DAID) dog training
Children and their family dog will participate in this dog training program.
Sponsors
Oregon State University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Randomized control trial experimental/treatment group and control.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
10 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age 10-17 years * Developmental disability (per parental report) * Possesses family dog * Participant can follow basis instructions.
Exclusion criteria
* Cannot follow basic instructions. * Non english-speakers.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Activity | One year | Physical activity will be measure through accelerometry. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Social well-being | One year | Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed