Date of Defense
8-4-2026 2:00 PM
Location
Room: H1-0026
Document Type
Dissertation Defense
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Special Education
College
College of Education
Department
Special and Gifted Education
First Advisor
Maria Efstratopoulou
Keywords
animal-assisted interventions; autism spectrum disorder; social communication; social interaction; special education; United Arab Emirates.
Abstract
This study aims to assess the effectiveness of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) on the social and communication skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study is organized into four connected phases, each building on the findings of the previous stage. Phase 1 explored parents’ perceptions of how companion pet ownership contributes to their child’s social interaction, communication, emotional well-being, and daily activity routines, using focus groups with mothers of children with ASD. Phase 2 employed a mixed-methods design to observe how students with ASD engage with different animal species (cat, rabbit, and fish/birds) that are routinely available in special education classrooms and incorporated into instructional activities. Phase 3 translated, adapted, and evaluated the psychometric properties of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System – Third Edition (ABAS-3) Teacher Form for students with ASD and intellectual disability in UAE schools, to support its use as an outcome measure in AAI program. Building on this groundwork, Phase 4 employed a mixed-methods design with eighteen students across six ASD classrooms to evaluate an eight-week structured AAT program using a cat, delivered alongside usual educational and behavioral services. Nine students received the AAT program, while the other nine students continued with usual services alone. Quantitative analyses of teacher-rated GARS-3 Social Interaction and Social Communication subscales and ABAS-3 Communication and Social scores indicated small, directionally positive but non-significant group-level changes, with a trend favoring the AAT group on the ABAS-3 Social domain. In contrast, teacher interviews described clear gains in sustained eye contact, more cooperative turn-taking around cat-care and play routines, improved waiting and gentle physical contact, and some of these changes generalizing into wider classroom activities. Across Phases 1, 2, and 4, the findings indicated that animals functioned as partners in social interaction, communication, and emotional well-being, and as motivators for everyday routines in both home and school contexts. Mothers’ and teachers’ qualitative accounts, together with quantitative results from the Human– Animal Interaction Scale (HAIS), GARS-3, and ABAS-3, suggested that although changes on standardized measures were generally modest, animal-related activities and the structured AAT program were associated with improved social participation, communication, and engagement for some students. Overall, the study provides an initial local evidence base on AAI in Gulf specialeducation settings and offers practical guidance for designing culturally sensitive, welfare-focused animal-assisted programs to be examined in future, larger-scale evaluations.
Included in
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANIMAL-ASSISTED INTERVENTIONS ON SOCIAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER IN THE UAE
Room: H1-0026
This study aims to assess the effectiveness of animal-assisted interventions (AAI) on the social and communication skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study is organized into four connected phases, each building on the findings of the previous stage. Phase 1 explored parents’ perceptions of how companion pet ownership contributes to their child’s social interaction, communication, emotional well-being, and daily activity routines, using focus groups with mothers of children with ASD. Phase 2 employed a mixed-methods design to observe how students with ASD engage with different animal species (cat, rabbit, and fish/birds) that are routinely available in special education classrooms and incorporated into instructional activities. Phase 3 translated, adapted, and evaluated the psychometric properties of the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System – Third Edition (ABAS-3) Teacher Form for students with ASD and intellectual disability in UAE schools, to support its use as an outcome measure in AAI program. Building on this groundwork, Phase 4 employed a mixed-methods design with eighteen students across six ASD classrooms to evaluate an eight-week structured AAT program using a cat, delivered alongside usual educational and behavioral services. Nine students received the AAT program, while the other nine students continued with usual services alone. Quantitative analyses of teacher-rated GARS-3 Social Interaction and Social Communication subscales and ABAS-3 Communication and Social scores indicated small, directionally positive but non-significant group-level changes, with a trend favoring the AAT group on the ABAS-3 Social domain. In contrast, teacher interviews described clear gains in sustained eye contact, more cooperative turn-taking around cat-care and play routines, improved waiting and gentle physical contact, and some of these changes generalizing into wider classroom activities. Across Phases 1, 2, and 4, the findings indicated that animals functioned as partners in social interaction, communication, and emotional well-being, and as motivators for everyday routines in both home and school contexts. Mothers’ and teachers’ qualitative accounts, together with quantitative results from the Human– Animal Interaction Scale (HAIS), GARS-3, and ABAS-3, suggested that although changes on standardized measures were generally modest, animal-related activities and the structured AAT program were associated with improved social participation, communication, and engagement for some students. Overall, the study provides an initial local evidence base on AAI in Gulf specialeducation settings and offers practical guidance for designing culturally sensitive, welfare-focused animal-assisted programs to be examined in future, larger-scale evaluations.