Pediatric Nursing Commons^™

Furry Friends & Brighter Futures: Enhancing The Life Skills Of Toddlers With Autism Through Animal Assisted Therapy, Abigail Rosales Tolentino

Nursing | Senior Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encompasses a broad spectrum of challenges that impact social interaction, communication, and behavior. While Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) stands as a common therapeutic approach, there is a growing recognition of the need for personalized interventions. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) emerges as a promising avenue for enhancing social interactions. This study focuses on the utilization of dogs in AAT for toddlers aged 12 to 36 months with confirmed ASD diagnoses. The experimental group will undergo a combined intervention involving standard ABA therapy alongside weekly AAT sessions, whereas the control group will receive standard ABA therapy alone. Pre- …