Group Changes in Cortisol and Heart Rate Variability of Children with Down Syndrome and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during Dog-Assisted Therapy

Richard E. Griffioen; Geert J.M. van Boxtel; Theo Verheggen; Marie Jose Enders-Slegers; Steffie Van Der Steen

doi:10.3390/children10071200

Group Changes in Cortisol and Heart Rate Variability of Children with Down Syndrome and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during Dog-Assisted Therapy

Richard E. Griffioen, Geert J.M. van Boxtel, Theo Verheggen, Marie Jose Enders-Slegers^*, Steffie Van Der Steen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Developmental and behavioural disorders in education and care: assessment and intervention

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Abstract

Dog-assisted therapy is hypothesized to lower stress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with Down syndrome (DS), which may be visible on a physiological level. In this study, we measured heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary cortisol of 20 children with DS or ASD at the beginning and end of six weekly sessions of dog-assisted therapy. We found a decrease of cortisol levels during single sessions, but no overall effect after six sessions (six weeks). The effect of dog-assisted therapy on the increase of HRV could not be confirmed. This study is one of the first to use physiological measurements to test the effects of DAT.

Original language	English
Article number	1200
Number of pages	12
Journal	Children
Volume	10
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071200
Publication status	Published - Jul-2023

Keywords

animal-assisted interventions
autism spectrum disorder
cortisol
dog-assisted therapy
Down syndrome
HRV
stress

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Group Changes in Cortisol and Heart Rate Variability of Children with Down Syndrome and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during Dog-Assisted TherapyFinal publisher's version, 1.57 MBLicence: CC BY

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abstract = "Dog-assisted therapy is hypothesized to lower stress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with Down syndrome (DS), which may be visible on a physiological level. In this study, we measured heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary cortisol of 20 children with DS or ASD at the beginning and end of six weekly sessions of dog-assisted therapy. We found a decrease of cortisol levels during single sessions, but no overall effect after six sessions (six weeks). The effect of dog-assisted therapy on the increase of HRV could not be confirmed. This study is one of the first to use physiological measurements to test the effects of DAT.",

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author = "Griffioen, {Richard E.} and {van Boxtel}, {Geert J.M.} and Theo Verheggen and Enders-Slegers, {Marie Jose} and {Van Der Steen}, Steffie",

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AU - Enders-Slegers, Marie Jose

AU - Van Der Steen, Steffie

PY - 2023/7

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N2 - Dog-assisted therapy is hypothesized to lower stress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with Down syndrome (DS), which may be visible on a physiological level. In this study, we measured heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary cortisol of 20 children with DS or ASD at the beginning and end of six weekly sessions of dog-assisted therapy. We found a decrease of cortisol levels during single sessions, but no overall effect after six sessions (six weeks). The effect of dog-assisted therapy on the increase of HRV could not be confirmed. This study is one of the first to use physiological measurements to test the effects of DAT.

AB - Dog-assisted therapy is hypothesized to lower stress in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and children with Down syndrome (DS), which may be visible on a physiological level. In this study, we measured heart rate variability (HRV) and salivary cortisol of 20 children with DS or ASD at the beginning and end of six weekly sessions of dog-assisted therapy. We found a decrease of cortisol levels during single sessions, but no overall effect after six sessions (six weeks). The effect of dog-assisted therapy on the increase of HRV could not be confirmed. This study is one of the first to use physiological measurements to test the effects of DAT.

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Group Changes in Cortisol and Heart Rate Variability of Children with Down Syndrome and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during Dog-Assisted Therapy

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