Imitation-based Dog Assisted Intervention, for Children With Developmental Disabilities.

NCT03462407 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 78481R21HD091895-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 45
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This R21 application will provide a multidisciplinary One Health approach to DAID physical activity intervention for adolescents with developmental disabilities and their family dog. The novel intervention approach includes the use of the family dog in an established dog training protocol, focused on physical activity and aimed at improving physical activity, quality of life and social wellbeing for children with and without developmental disabilities. Recent pilot work has revealed physical and social-emotional improvements in children with developmental disabilities following an animal assisted intervention. There has been relatively limited research focused on the physical activity of adolescents with developmental disabilities and there remains a critical need to develop strategies that will encourage an active lifestyle for adolescents with and without developmental disabilities. Animal assisted therapy has known positive impacts on morale and is also known to reduce depressive psychological symptoms for children and adults. Yet, traditional 'service dogs' are prohibitively expensive for many families. Dog ownership alone is known to improve health-related physical activity. Thus, a critical need exists to create physical activity interventions that are easily accessible and provide manageable home-based physical activity adherence, but that are less expensive than traditional service dogs. To achieve these goals the investigators of this project have developed the following specific aims: 1) To develop and evaluate a novel DAID dog training program to promote physical activity in children with and without developmental disabilities; 2) To determine what impact participation in a DAID dog-training program has on the child's quality of life, feelings of social wellbeing and the child-dog relationship. The long term goal of this research is to improve the lives of adolescents with and without developmental disabilities. This research supports the One Health initiative and brings together aspects of improving health related to human and animal development.

Conditions

Physical Activity; Social Responsibility

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Physical activity Change

  Physical activity change will be measured through accelerometry

  Baseline; Immediately post intervention (after 2- 5 weeks); one-year post intervention; a fourth immediate post-intervention for waitlisted participants who participate in the intervention (~1 year and 1 month)

Study Arms (3)

DAID

EXPERIMENTAL

Trained assistants will help participants train their dog to engage in imitation based dog training, using positive reinforcement training (operant conditioning) focused on physical activities.

Behavioral: DAID

Dog walking

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Trained assistants will help children train their dog to walk on a loose leash (eliminate pulling behavior) during this period using positive training techniques. The focus of this group will be on appropriate walking behavior to facilitate enjoyable independent dog-walking at home.

Behavioral: Dog walking

Control

NO INTERVENTION

This group will all own family dogs but will not participate in either intervention during year 1. All participants assigned to the waitlist will be offered the DAID intervention the subsequent summer.

Interventions

DAID BEHAVIORAL

The DAID intervention group will engage in imitation based dog training, using positive reinforcement training (operant conditioning) to teach their dog to copy the physical actions they demonstrate on the command "Do it".

DAID

Dog walking BEHAVIORAL

Children will participate in dog walking. Trained assistants will teach the children to teach their dog basic commands. Dog walking will occur during the intervention phase and children will be encourage to walk their dogs at home.

Dog walking

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 8 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Between 8- 17 years with or without a disability (per parental report)
• Has a family dog (dog in the home)

You may not qualify if:

• Not able to follow basic instructions/

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Oregon State University: lead
• Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Oregon State University

Corvallis, Oregon, 97331, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Megan MacDonald

  Oregon State University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: Participants will be randomized prospectively into one of three possible groups following initial assessments and screening (e.g., eligibility), 1) 15 participants in an experimental (DAID intervention), 2) 15 control participants (dog walking), 3) 15 waitlisted control participants (true control, waitlisted for DAID one-year after post-assessment 1 of the project).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2018
• First Posted: March 12, 2018
• Study Start: May 1, 2017
• Primary Completion: June 30, 2023
• Study Completion: June 30, 2023
• Last Updated: May 8, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)