Article

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of partnerships
between people with disabilities and service dogs on functional performance and
social interaction. METHOD. A single-subject, alternating treatment design was
used. The participants were 3 women with mobility challenges who owned service
dogs. For each participant, time and perceived amount of effort for two tasks
were measured for functional performance. Interaction and satisfaction levels
were measured for social interactions. RESULTS. Primary findings were that
service dog partnerships decreased performance time for four of the six tasks,
decreased effort for five of the six tasks, increased social interactions for 2
of the participants, and increased levels of satisfaction with social
interactions for all participants. CONCLUSION. For adult women with mobility
challenges, service dog partnerships may contribute to energy conservation
through decreased time and effort required to complete some tasks and may
increase social interactions.
CI - Copyright (c) 2014 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.
- Animal (chien)

Langue : ANGLAIS