Marguerite E. O’Haire|Samantha J. McKenzie|Alan M. Beck|Virginia Slaughter
Animals may act as social buffers: Skin conductance arousal in children with autism spectrum disorder in a social context
Purdue University West Lafayette|University of Queensland|Purdue University West Lafayette|University of Queensland
abstract children autism spectrum disorder asd experience high rates social stress anxious arousal preliminary evidence suggests companion animals act buffers adverse effects social stress adults measured continuous physiological arousal children asd typically developing td children social context four conditions baseline reading silently b scripted classroom activity involving reading aloud c free play peers toys free play peers animals guinea pigs results confirmed heightened arousal among children asd compared td children conditions except animals present children asd showed 43 decrease skin conductance responses free play peers presence animals compared toys thus animals may act social buffers children asd conferring unique anxiolytic effects 2015 wiley periodicals inc dev psychobiol 57 584595 2015