The presence of animals reduces the intensity of anxiety experienced by children with autism spectrum disorders in situations requiring interaction with their peers, reports the journal Developmental Psychobiology.
Children with autism spectrum disorders usually have great difficulties in communicating and interacting with other people because they experience extreme anxiety in such situations. However, according to scientists from Purdue University (USA) and the University of Queensland (Australia), animals can help to overcome this type of limitations. Their presence increases the sense of security in autistic children and, consequently, reduces anxiety.
Researchers invited 114 children aged 5 to 12 to the laboratory and divided them into groups of three in such a way that each of them consisted of one person with autism spectrum disorders and two properly developing peers.
The children were equipped with wristbands that measured the galvanic skin response, i.e. changes in electrical resistance that were indicative of the body being aroused due to emotions such as anxiety, fear or excitement.
In order to establish the baseline level of arousal, the small subjects were asked to read an excerpt from the book silently. They were then instructed to read the text aloud in the presence of their peers. In the next stage of the experiment, toys were brought into the room and the children were allowed to play for 10 minutes. At the end, two guinea pigs were let into the room and for the next 10 minutes. toddlers were observed to play with animals.
It turned out that children with autism spectrum disorders experienced greater psychological arousal (most likely anxiety) in all social situations (while reading quietly and aloud, as well as while playing with peers). However, the level of their arousal fell sharply in the presence of animals (guinea pigs). The opposite reactions occurred in normally developing children. Their agitation remained fairly low until the animals appeared in the room – then it increased immediately.
Researchers explain that the presence of animals ensuring unconditional acceptance weakened the fear of autistic children because they felt safer. The other toddlers might experience sudden excitement at the sight of the pigs – hence the increase in arousal levels.
This study provides physiological evidence that being close to animals alleviates the stress experienced by autistic children in social situations, concludes James Griffin of the National Institutes of Health, the funding body for this project.