The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effects of an animal-assisted resilience training in children who experienced stressful life events or who have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The main question it aims to answer is: • Is an animal-assisted resilience training a feasible approach to increase resilience in children with a history of stressful life events or a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder? Participants will take part in 12 training sessions of a standardized resilience training. The training is group-based, takes place outdoors, and includes interactions with different animals. It focuses on self-esteem, self-perception, dealing with emotions, and social competence.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
83
Participants take part in 12 sessions (120 minutes each), each session focuses on a topic that is related to resilience. The intervention takes part outdoors on a farm, and includes interactions with several different animals. The training takes place in small groups, and includes exercises, observations, and discussions.
University of Basel
Basel, Switzerland
Questionnaire on resources in childhood and adolescence
Pre-to-post assessment changes in resilience
Time frame: 18 weeks
Questionnaire to assess emotion regulation in children and adolescents
Pre-to-post assessment changes in emotion regulation
Time frame: 18 weeks
Number of attended sessions
Number of attended sessions over the course of the training
Time frame: 12 weeks
Feeling secure and motivation to participate as measured on a 0-10 scale
Motivation and feeling secure as measured at the beginning and end of each session
Time frame: 12 weeks
Intervention satisfaction as assessed in semi-structured interview
Satisfaction with program content and structure, as measured by qualitative interview
Time frame: 18 weeks (follow-up)
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)
Pre-to-post assessment changes in peer-relationship problems and prosocial behavior measures
Time frame: 18 weeks
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