Parents' Perceptions of Everyday Animal Interaction and Animal-Assisted Therapy in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Autism
• Animal interaction
• Animal assisted therapy
• Qualitative research

Otizm Spektrum Bozukluğu Olan Bireylerde Günlük Yaşamda Hayvanlarla Etkileşim ve Hayvan Destekli Terapi Deneyimlerine Yönelik Ebeveyn Algıları

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, otizm spektrum bozukluğu (OSB) olan bireylerde günlük yaşamda hayvanlarla etkileşim ve hayvan destekli terapiye (HDT) ilişkin ebeveyn algılarını nitel olarak incelemektir. Yöntem: Bu nitel tanımlayıcı çalışma, OSB’li bireylerin 20 ebeveyni ile gerçekleştirilen derinlemesine yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmelere dayanmaktadır. Örneklem; günlük yaşamda hayvanlarla etkileşimi olan bireylerin ebeveynlerinden (n=13), daha önce HDT almış veya almakta olan bireylerin ebeveynlerinden (n=5) ve daha önce hayvanlarla herhangi bir etkileşimi bulunmayan bireylerin ebeveynlerinden (n=2) oluşmuştur. Görüşme kayıtları, ATLAS.ti 24.0 yazılımı kullanılarak refleksif tematik analiz yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular: Üç ana tema belirlenmiştir: Günlük Yaşamda Hayvanlarla Etkileşim, Günlük Yaşamda Hayvanlarla Etkileşimin Algılanan Etkileri ve HDT Deneyimleri. Ebeveynler, günlük yaşamda hayvanlarla etkileşime ilişkin hayvan tercihlerindeki farklılıklar, duygusal tepkiler ile iletişim, bakım verme ve duygusal bağ kurma fırsatlarını içeren çeşitli deneyimler tanımlamıştır. Çocukları HDT almış olan ebeveynler, sosyal etkileşim, iletişim, duyusal deneyimler ve çevresel farkındalık alanlarında olumlu değişiklikler gözlemlediklerini ifade etmiştir. Sonuç: Ebeveynler, hem günlük yaşamda hayvanlarla etkileşimi hem de HDT’yi OSB’li bireylerin yaşamında önemli deneyimler olarak değerlendirmiştir. Bununla birlikte, bu bulgular ebeveyn algılarını yansıtmakta olup hayvanlarla etkileşim veya HDT'nin etkinliğine ilişkin doğrudan kanıt olarak yorumlanmamalıdır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Otizm
• Hayvan etkileşimi
• Hayvan destekli terapi
• Nitel araştırma

Kaynakça

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