Autism Service Dogs

As a dog owner, I can attest to the rewards and challenges of sharing a home with a dog. It is my love of dogs and my interest in science that has made me interested in the impact of service dogs on the lives of individuals with autism and their families. 

Dogs have been used to aid individuals with medical conditions and disabilities since 1929. The American National Service Dog program began to provide dogs for individuals with autism in 1996. Research on the impact these dogs have on the families they join is not as thorough as I would have liked, but I did find 2 Canadian studies, which I thought were worth sharing. 

Kristen E. Burrows and Cindy L. Adams (2005) conducted a qualitative investigation with 10 Ontario families with a service dog.  They found that in general parents found the dogs to be a “valuable addition”. The most important reason given for this was that the dog improved the safety and security for their child both at home and in the community. As safety and security were increased, parents felt they could take their children to more places in the community.  Not fearing safety and being able to access the community was reported to have improved the quality of life for all members of the family. 

Parents in Burrows and Adams (2005) study also reported a decrease in anxiety in their children. Sonia Lupien, a professor at the University of Montréal, also reported this finding in her work. The research she and her colleagues conducted found a significant decrease in the stress hormone cortisol in the person with autism, after the introduction of a service dog to the home. Parent in both studies also reported a decrease in problem behaviours after the introduction of the dog.

While the benefits of having a dog appear to be great, dog ownership is not without its challenges.  Parents in the Burrows and Adams (2005) study found they often had to fight for public access rights both in the school system and the community in general.  Also, integrating the dog into the family and the extra work required in the care of a dog (including: exercise, training, grooming, feeding, preparing the dog to go to the community), were also listed as challenges. I can speak from my own experience that my dog takes about 2 hours of my daily time to provide the care and exercise she requires. This time commitment is something all potential dog owners need to consider before adding a dog to the household. 

While more research into the direct impact of having a service dog needs to be conducted, this limited preliminary work is very promising.  There is no price that can be put on improvements in safety and reduction of anxiety. However, regardless of the potential gains, the challenges of owning any dog seriously need to be considered before making a dog part of your family. Unlike other tools we use to aid our kids, dogs are living creatures, who have their own needs. If you are considering adding a furry friend to your home, please make sure that the dog will fit into your life and the benefits will be greater than the cost.

Kristen

Happy Holidays!

The elves have been hard at work getting Spectrum ready for Christmas. They have made us laugh, they have made us smile, they have decorated our halls with their beautiful art. We couldn’t have done it without them! So, from all of the staff at Spectrum Intervention Group, we wish you a safe and happy holiday!

 

Extinction—what it is and how to use it

When our children are exhibiting problem behaviour, behavioural therapists will often advise parents, caregivers and instructors to ignore the problem behaviour and put it on extinction.  Extinction involves withholding or terminating the reinforcing element that maintains an undesirable or problem behaviour.   Take the classic example:  the child wants something (food, a toy, attention, to be left alone) so he or she screams until whatever it was that he or she wanted appears.  The child has learned, this is good, it got me what I wanted and I’ve got to do that again.  In that case the reinforcing element (the toy, attention etc.)  is maintained by the problem behaviour of screaming.  Extinction in this instance would be not producing the reinforcer when the child screams.  The child can have access to the reinforcer only if she or he asks in any way that does not involve screaming (takes your hand and points, asks for your attention in a nice voice, signs for the item, gives you a PEC, gives you a “Need a break” card).  In other words, the former “effective” manner (screaming) will no longer get the child the desired reinforcer.  Screaming for a reinforcer is on extinction.

Extinction in the example does not decrease the behaviour of screaming.  To use extinction effectively, you must ignore the problem behaviour and not reinforce it by “giving in” when the problem behaviour occurs.  However, you should have an alternative behaviour that you are willing to reinforce.  The child may have that alternative behaviour already or he or she may need to be taught it.  The child will learn that screaming is not going to get what he or she wants like it used to, so the child will find new ways to get the same results. Quite often this will mean putting behaviours that used to achieve results on extinction until a new or a better way of getting the outcome becomes solid.   It is our job to teach our children effective, more socially acceptable ways of communicating their wants and needs and so that they can be successful and happy.

Debbie

Positive vs. Corrective feedback

Here's a little task for you - think of several different types of occasions when your child is in your care:  

               1. A learning situation - either homework or play based

               2. A fun child centered activity 

               3. A time when your child engages in high rates of challenging behaviour (for most parents this happens when they are busy doing some sort of household task such as laundry, making dinner or even talking on the phone).  

The next time that each situation arises take some data on your own behaviour.  Keep track of the number of both the corrective and positive statements that you make.  Corrective feedback refers to times where you request that your child modify their behaviour.  Examples include: cross your legs, sit on the chair, no, not that way - do it like this, look when you say hi, smile at Grandma, stand still, try that again, that's not very nice etc. Examples of corrective feedback are endless.  Positive feedback includes: Great job, you did it, nice one, you got it, good for you, well done etc.  Again these are endless.  

Stop here.  Don't read and further.  Take some time to do your homework.  Be honest in your data collection so that you get an accurate representation.  Take an accurate recording for each occasion and then come back.

Now - here's a number for you:  There are guidelines for providing feedback, recommending that the number of positive to corrective feedback should be 4:1.  How did you do?  Give yourself a pat on the back if your numbers were close but, there are many many times where this is not the case.  If you didn't achieve these numbers it's okay - but now it's time to modify your behaviour.

Reasons for positive feedback:

• It can (though does not always) serve as reinforcement, thus increasing the future rate of behaviour that you are commenting on.
• It helps to build and maintain a positive rapport between you and your learner.
• A history of positive feedback can generate motivation to engage in behaviour that has contacted positive feedback in the past.
• It can lead to an increase in receptivity to future feedback (both positive and corrective).
• It can promote self awareness, self confidence and performance with in certain situations

There are times where providing positive feedback is quite easy, your child is being compliant and responding appropriately to an ongoing situation.  The key here is to remember to offer high rates of feedback.  Sometimes our thinking is: if it's going well then leave it alone - ignore that advice and continue to offer your praises. 

It is when there are high rates or intensity of challenging behaviour that this becomes more difficult.  Finding a way to deliver positive feedback in light of a problem behaviour is not easy.  Monitor the situation carefully, following the behaviour, provide praise for small steps.  Catch your child being good often, even if good is not as good as usual take the best they can do right now.

Over time offering frequent and balanced feedback becomes second nature.  

Emily