TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Understanding the impact of dog ownership on autistic adults: implications for mental health and suicide prevention
JO  - Scientific reports
A1  - Barcelos, Ana Maria
A1  - Kargas, Niko
A1  - Packham, Chris
A1  - Mills, Daniel S.
SP  - e23655
EP  - e23655
VL  - 11
IS  - 1
N2  - Mental health problems and suicide are more frequent in autistic adults than general population. Dog ownership can improve human well-being. This study aimed to generate a framework of well-being outcomes for dog-related activities in autistic adults and compare it to the framework generated for a general adult population. Thirty-six autistic dog owners (18-74 years old, 18 males) from diverse UK regions were interviewed and transcripts thematically analysed. 16.7% reported that their dogs prevented them from taking their own lives, mainly due to the dog's affection and the need to care for the animal. Close dog-owner interactions (e.g., cuddling, walking, dog's presence) were the most frequent activities improving emotions/moods and life functioning, whereas routine-like activities (e.g., feeding the animal) particularly enhanced life functioning. Well-being worsening was mainly linked to dog behaviour problems, dog poor health/death and obligations to the dog. Despite some negatives associated with ownership, having a dog could improve the well-being of many autistic adults and assist suicide prevention strategies in this high-risk group. The framework was consistent with that generated previously, indicating its robustness and the potential opportunity to focus on dog-related activities rather than the vague concept of "ownership" when considering the impact of ownership on well-being.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2045-2322
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-02504-8
ID  - ref1
ER  -