ReviewChildren (Basel, Switzerland)2024
The Impact of Dog-Assisted Therapy Among Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.
Review in Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Dog-assisted therapy on Hong Kong children with autism spectrum disorder: an exploratory randomized controlled trial.European journal of pediatrics · 2026Trial
- Diagnosing ASD in Children Aged 6-18: Gender Differences and the Diagnostic Process.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Well-Being Indicators in Autistic Children and Therapy Dogs During a Group Intervention: A Pilot Study.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Supporting Families to 'Make the Most' of the Relationship Between Their Companion Dogs and Their Children with Autism Spectrum Condition: A Qualitative Exploration of the 'Family Dog Service'.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesAnimal-assisted therapies have been utilized in various profiles to improve people's quality of life. This systematic review aims to assess the impact of dog-assisted therapies (DAT) on children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The benefits provided, the feasibility of implementation, and potential limitations are analysed.
methodsAn exhaustive search was carried out in the following databases: Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, ERIC, PubMed, PubPsych, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Dialnet. The procedure was preregistered on PROSPERO.
resultsThis review included 19 scientific articles. Of these, 84% suggest that DAT has a positive impact on communication and social interaction during the development of children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD. The dog is often perceived as a communication facilitator that serves as a reinforcer, capturing the individual's attention. Emotional benefits have also been reported, including reducing stereotyped and self-harming behaviours. Additionally, an increase in smiling frequency and self-esteem levels was observed.
conclusionsThese findings highlight the potential of DAT as a component of socio-educational intervention for children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD. However, further research is necessary due to the limited sample sizes in the studies reviewed.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.