Sharing Student Projects

This dissertation sought to explore the perspectives of professionals in English special schools on the impact of Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAIs) on social communication in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ASD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder (Hodges et al., 2020) which approximately 1 out of 100 children worldwide are diagnosed with (Zeidan et al., 2022). Social communication deficits are one of the core characteristics of ASD (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It includes difficulties with eye contact and with understanding other people’s perspectives (Hardy & Weston, 2020). Social communication deficits are associated with negative outcomes, such as isolation and mental health difficulties (Hardy & Weston, 2020). Therefore, supporting students with ASD to manage social communication difficulties is a key focus of special schools in England, UK (Department of Education, 2015). AAIs are being implemented in some special schools in England in order to try and support students with their social communication deficits. AAIs include Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), where the animal plays a central role in achieving the specified therapeutic goal, and Animal-Assisted Activities (AAAs), which involves the inclusion for animals for general benefit without defined therapeutic goals (Berget & Braastad, 2008; Davis et al., 2015). An example of AAT is a speech & language therapist incorporating a therapy dog into a speech & language session. An example of AAAs is a teacher bringing guinea pigs into class for students to interact with. Often there is significant overlap between AAT and AAAs, and in England there are very limited regulations surrounding AAIs (Berget & Braastad, 2008). This research aimed to explore how AAIs are currently being implemented in special schools in England, their impact on the social communication of students with ASD and the underlying mechanisms, as well as the limitations and challenges associated with their implementation. 9 participants were recruited from across England and included 7 practitioners of AAIs and 2 observers. Some of the professions of the practitioners included a counsellor, a child & adolescent psychotherapist, a speech & language therapist and an occupational therapist. The research had a qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews, conducted on Zoom, were used to gather the perspectives of each of the participants. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Key themes and subthemes were identified. It was found that AAIs are being implemented in special schools in England using flexible and child-led approaches, with participants frequently struggling to describe what a ‘typical’ session of AAIs looked like for them. Animals being used included dogs, guinea pigs and rats. The participants had varying views on the importance of animal training. Participants suggested that recognition of AAIs in education is growing and spreading on the back of anecdotal evidence. However, it was discussed that there is still a lack of understanding about what it is and its benefits. The professionals generally perceived AAIs to have a positive impact on the social communication of students with ASD. The calming effects of animals were discussed, as well as the predictability and consistency of animals. A recurring theme was that animals acted as a ‘bridge’ between students and the social world, whether in building relationships with the practitioner or with their peers. These findings support existing literature on the subject. It was also suggested that interactions with animals can help to build the confidence of students with ASD through allowing them to take on a care-taking role which they may not have in other parts of their life. The impact of the AAIs was found to be lesser for students who were visually impaired. Challenges of AAIs implementation were also discussed, such as concerns about animal welfare and logistical, budget and time constraints. It was noted that AAIs are not suitable for all children, due to factors such as fears of animals.

This research has relevance for a variety of stakeholders. The findings of this research are promising with regards to the impact of AAIs for the social communication of students with ASD. However, these findings alone should not be taken as definitive evidence of its effectiveness. Instead, the mechanisms suggested by the professionals can serve as the grounds for guiding future research. There are also some concerning findings in the research, such as with regards to the lack of training of some animals, which should be addressed. For Policy Makers: it is recommended that comprehensive national guidelines should be introduced to standardise practice in England. Ideally this would take the form of National Occupational Standards, which would make requirements such as a certain level of training for dogs legally binding. This is necessary to protect animal welfare, as well as the safety of children involved in interventions. For Practitioners: it is recommended that until National Occupational Standards are introduced, the voluntary UK Code of Practice created by The Society For Companion Animal Studies (2019) should be adhered to. This is the most thorough code of practice currently available. It includes recommendations such as that cats and dogs should be at least 1 year old before being involved in AAIs and that sessions should not last more than 45 minutes. For Schools: It is recommended that they have their own risk assessments and regulations regarding AAIs in order to ensure their students’ safety. For Parents of Children with ASD: Parents should be aware that there is no concrete evidence of the efficacy of AAIs. They must weigh the potential, unproven, benefits of AAIs against the potential risks for their children.