Oral Presentation The International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ): 27th Annual Conference 2018

The effect of an animal-assisted intervention on biological stress indicators in children undergoing forensic interview for child sexual abuse allegations. (#6)

Cheryl A Krause-Parello 1 , Michele Thames 2 , Colleen M Ray 3 , John E Kolassa 4
  1. University of Colorado College of Nursing Canines Providing Assistance to Wounded Warriors (C-P.A.W.W.), Aurora , CO, United States
  2. SafeSpot Child Advocacy Center, Fairfax, VA, United States
  3. Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States
  4. Department of Statistics and Biostatistics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, United States

Introduction: Child sexual abuse is a hideous crime against children.  During a forensic interview the child is asked to disclose information about the alleged sexual abuse. Disclosure of sexual abuse can be a stressful experience for the child.

The paper discusses the effect of a service-trained facility dog [animal-assisted intervention (AAI)] on biological stress indicators in children undergoing a forensic interview for child sexual abuse allegations.

Methodology:  Children were referred to a child advocacy center for a forensic interview following allegations of sexual abuse. A repeated measures design was conducted to examine how an AAI may serve as a mode of lowering biological stress indicators in children during a forensic interview. Children (N = 51) ages 4-16 (M= 9.1, SD = 3.5) were randomized to one of two forensic interview conditions: experimental condition (experimental forensic interview-AAI) or control condition (standard forensic interview–no AAI). Stress biomarkers: heart rate, blood pressure, salivary alpha-amylase, and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) were collected before and after the forensic interview.

Main Results: Results supported a significant decrease in heart rate for children in the experimental condition (p = .0086) vs. the control condition (p =.4986). Regression models revealed a significant decrease in systolic (p= .03285) and diastolic (p= .04381) blood pressure in children in the experimental condition-AAI. Statistically significant changes in alpha-amylase and IgA were also found in relation to disclosure and type of sexual offence.

Principal Conclusions and Implications for Field: These findings suggest that an AAI has a biological stress reducing effect in children undergoing forensic interview for allegations of child sexual abuse. AAI as a empirically validated stress reducing modality has real-world value for children, child welfare personnel, and clinical therapists. Based on these finding it is suggested that AAI be expanded to children and other marginalized populations facing sexual and other types of abuse.