Parents' Perceptions of Everyday Animal Interaction and Animal-Assisted Therapy in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Objective: This study aimed to qualitatively explore parents' perceptions of everyday animal interactions and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).. Method: This qualitative descriptive study was based on in-depth semi-structured interviews with 20 parents of individuals with ASD. The sample comprised parents of individuals with everyday animal interaction (n=13), parents of individuals who had received or were currently receiving AAT (n=5), and parents of individuals with no previous animal interaction (n=2). Interview transcripts were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis with the support of ATLAS.ti 24.0 software. Results: Three main themes emerged: Everyday Animal Interaction, Perceived Impact of Everyday Animal Interaction, and Experiences with AAT. Parents described a wide range of experiences related to everyday animal interaction, including differences in animal preferences, emotional responses, and opportunities for communication, caregiving, and emotional bonding. Parents whose children had participated in AAT reported improvements in social engagement, communication, sensory experiences, and environmental awareness. Conclusion: Parents regarded both everyday animal interaction and AAT as important aspects of the lives of individuals with ASD. However, these findings reflect parental perceptions and should not be interpreted as evidence of the effectiveness of either everyday animal interaction or AAT.
DOI: 10.18863/pgy.1921735
Institution: Marmara University
Language: Turkish
Subfield: Genetics
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7219883216