dogs as catalysts for social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.

dogs as catalysts for social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.
Research has shown that Australian group homes and supported living options fail to support people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) to develop social connections. This pilot study evaluates the effectiveness of a visiting dog walking program to facilitate encounters with other community members.
Sixteen adults with ID were assigned to one of two groups, matched on key characteristics. Group 1 had 14 1-hour walks in the community with a dog and its handler; Group 2 had 14 outings with a handler alone, followed by five more outings with a handler and a dog. Differences within and between groups were analyzed according to the number of encounters when a dog was present and absent. The qualitative data provided insights into the nature of these encounters.
The number of encounters was significantly higher when a dog was present than when participants went out into the community with a trainer alone. This pattern was reflected in the qualitative data, which also suggested that the presence of a dog helped break down social norms about talking to strangers and discouraging disrespect to people with ID.
A dog walking program has the potential to encourage convivial encounters, which in the long run can be catalysts for helping people with ID build social connections in their communities; this should be explored further.
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