Abstracts
Résumé
L’entraînement et l’attribution de chiens d’assistance pour les enfants qui présentent un trouble du spectre de l’autisme (TSA) gagnent en popularité. Les bienfaits documentés concernent tant les aspects physiologiques que comportementaux : diminution du stress et de l’anxiété, augmentation des interactions sociales, développement du langage, entre autres éléments. Toutefois, les facteurs explicatifs de ces bienfaits sont peu documentés. Objectif : La présente étude explore l’effet différencié de l’introduction d’un chien d’assistance dans les familles d’enfants autistes âgés entre cinq et neuf ans, selon le degré de sévérité des déficits liés au TSA. Méthode : Un nombre de 91 parents d’enfants ayant reçu un chien d’assistance de la Fondation Mira ont rempli un questionnaire sur le niveau de fonctionnement de l’enfant en différents domaines un mois avant et trois mois après l’attribution de leur chien. Les résultats ont été étudiés en fonction de la sévérité des symptômes de l’enfant, établi à l’aide de la traduction en français de la Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) (Schopler et al., 1980), par Bernadette Rogé (1989). Résultats : En se basant sur les réponses au questionnaire, les enfants présentant des symptômes d’autisme allant de moyens à sévères semblent bénéficier davantage et de manière significative de la présence du chien d’assistance que les enfants plus légèrement atteints. Discussion : La sévérité de l’autisme pourrait être prise en compte lors des démarches d’obtention d’un chien d’assistance afin de mieux accompagner les familles vivant avec un enfant ayant un TSA. Cet article explore les concepts théoriques sous-jacents aux effets du chien selon différents domaines de vie, afin de contribuer à l’amélioration continue et le développement de meilleures pratiques dans le dans le champ d’étude du TSA et du chien d’assistance.
Mots-clés :
- Trouble du spectre de l’autisme,
- chien d’assistance,
- sévérité
Abstract
The training and allocation of service dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is gaining in popularity. The documented benefits relate to both physiological and behavioral aspects: stress and anxiety reduction, increased social interactions, and language development among others. However, the associated factors that may have an impact on these benefits have yet to be tested. Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the differentiated effect of introducing a service dog in families of autistic children between the ages of five and nine, depending on the severity of the ASD-related deficits. Method: Ninety-one parents of children who received a service dog from the Mira Foundation completed a questionnaire on the child’s level of functioning for various domains one month before and three months after their dog was awarded. The results were studied based on the symptoms of the child according to two groups of severity, established using the French version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) (Schopler et al., 1980). Results: Based on the responses to the questionnaire, children with moderate to severe symptoms of autism appear to benefit more significantly from the presence of the service dog than children with milder symptoms. Discussion: Autism severity could be taken into consideration in the processes of applying for an assistance dog in order to better serve families living with a child with ASD. This article explores the theoretical concepts underlying the effects of the dog in different areas of life in order to contribute to the continuous improvement and the development of best practices in the still innovative field of assistance dogs for young people living with ASD.
Keywords:
- Autism spectrum disorder,
- assistance dog,
- severity
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Appendices
Remerciements
Nous remercions chaleureusement les familles bénéficiaires d’un chien d’assistance de la Fondation Mira ayant donné leur consentement à l’utilisation de données pour des fins de recherche scientifique. Nous remercions également la Fondation Mira d’avoir permis l’accès à sa base de données.
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