Christine Ettrich

Preference for, and responsiveness to, people, dogs and objects in children with autism.

ABSTRACT Autism strongly affects the ability to establish social interactions. However, there is some suggestion that people with autism establish close social relationships with nonverbal communicating and intentionally acting animals (such as dogs). In this study, 14 children with autism (3 females, 11 males; mean age = 11.4 years) were observed when given the choice to interact with a person, dog (certified therapy dog) or objects (e.g., toys). The children interacted most frequently and for longest with the dog, followed by the person and then the objects. We suggest that animals, specifically dogs, communicate their intentions in a way more readily understandable to people with autism. We also suggest that autism affects predominantly interpersonal interactions.

Dogs in child psychotherapy: effects on state of mind

Abstract Using a pretest-posttest design, this study investigates possible influences of animal-assisted therapy (AAT), using a dog, on the state of mind of children and adolescents who have undergone inpatient psychiatric treatment. To measure this, the Basler Befindlichkeits-Skala (BBS) was used, which measures general “state of mind” and provides four sub-scale scores: vitality, intra-emotional balance, social extroversion, and alertness. For Group 1 patients (n = 61, with AAT), the results show highly significant increases in all dimensions of the BBS. These changes were not found in a second group (Group 2, n = 39), in which there was no AAT. There was a significant negative correlation between pretest BBS scores and the change in scores that occurred after therapy incorporating AAT. Among seven patients in Group 1, a deterioration in state of mind was recorded. Under our controlled clinical conditions, an effect size of 0.38 was calculated for the therapy using a dog. Incorporating a dog could catalyze psychotherapeutic work with children and adolescents.

Haptic Perception in Anorexia Nervosa Before and After Weight Gain

Haptic perception of patients with anorexia nervosa (n =10) was analyzed in a longitudinal study (T 0 T 1). The haptic explorations consisted of palpating the structure of 12 sunken reliefs in sequence with both hands, eyes closed. After each exploration the structure was reproduced on a piece of paper. In the anorexia group, mean exploration time was significantly shorter than in healthy control subjects. However, the reproductions of complex stimuli submitted by the anorexia group were of notably poorer quality than those of the healthy controls. This was also observed after weight gain (T 1). The results of the haptic explorations can be interpreted as a cortical dysfunction and deficits in somatosensorical integration processing in patients with anorexia nervosa. This may be due to a disorder of tactualspatial processing in the right parieto-occipital regions.

Stable Asymmetric Interhemispheric Theta Power in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa During Haptic Perception Even After Weight Gain: A Longitudinal Study

The aim of this study was to investigate the interhemispheric brain electrical asymmetries during a resting period and during haptic tasks in theta frequency band (4–8 Hz) between healthy controls (N=10) and patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) (N=10). Additionally, AN patients were investigated twice in a longitudinal design (T0–T1) to analyze treatment effects. At rest, a theta asymmetry was observed in the AN group during an acute stage of starvation (T0) but not after weight gain (T1). Importantly, theta asymmetry over central regions (C3–C4) was observed in the AN group during the acute stage of starvation (T0) as well as after weight gain (T1) while performing haptic exploration tasks. In the control group, we found no significant theta asymmetry neither at rest nor during haptic explorations. Results are interpreted as an over-arousal of the right hemisphere in AN patients during complex multisensory integration processing which is possibly a result of general functional deficits of the right hemisphere.

Analysis of child—dog play behavior in child psychiatry

Abstract Children have a natural affinity for animals and most often communicate with them nonverbally; nonverbal communication is authentic and difficult to influence deliberately. This study examines whether characteristic interaction patterns exist during pet-facilitated therapy with dogs, and whether these can be used for diagnosing psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Forty children and adolescents with anorexia, bulimia, anxiety disorder or autism (classified according to the International Classification of Diseases – ICD 10) were monitored while in the same room as a therapy dog; their behavior during a 25-minute encounter was video-recorded and analyzed. The patients demonstrated significant diagnosis-specific behavioral differences; the greatest differences were found when the autistic patients were compared with the anxiety and eating disorder patients. The autistic childrens behavior was characterized by many brief interaction phases, whereas anxiety disorder patients interacted less often, with longer lasting episodes. While autistic children showed greater fear of the dog, anxiety disorder patients were more afraid of inter-human contact. A discriminant analysis assigned 77.5% of the patients to the correct diagnostic group. Child–dog interaction analysis can provide a valuable contribution to the psycho-diagnosis of children and adolescents.

Biopsychosoziale Einflüsse auf die kognitive und soziale Entwicklung von Klein- und Vorschulkindern

Zusammenfassung. Fur die Analyse biopsychosozialer Einflusse auf die Entwicklung der Kinder wurde ein Kindergarten aus einem blei- und umweltbelasteten Gebiet mit den Kindern aus einem Kindergarten ohne nennenswerte Umweltrisiken verglichen. Der Entwicklungsstand der Kinder wurde mit sieben entwicklungsdiagnostischen Verfahren erfast. Die Lebensgeschichte und der Gesundheitszustand der Kinder wurden explorativ erhoben und zu spezifischen Risikoindices zusammengefasst. Die geringer belastete Gruppe erwies sich in nahezu allen Entwicklungstests uberlegen. Gleichzeitig fuhrte die Kumulation biologischer und sozialer Entwicklungsrisiken zu ungunstigeren kognitiven und sozialen Entwicklungsergebnissen.

Tiergestützte Therapie – ein neuer Therapieansatz bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit psychosomatischen Störungen?

In der vorliegenden Studie wurde mittels eines Pra-Post- Designs der Einfluss tiergestutzter Therapie auf die Befindlichkeit von Kindern und Jugendlichen untersucht, die sich aufgrund psychischer Erkrankungen bzw. Storungen in stationarer kinderpsychiatrischer Behandlung befanden. Als Messinstrument wurde die Basler Befindlichkeitsskala (BBS) eingesetzt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen hochsignifikante Verbesserungen der Befindlichkeit in der Testgruppe (n = 61), die in einer Kontrollgruppe (n = 39) ohne Kontakt zum Hund nicht nachweisbar waren. Korrelationen belegen, dass die Anderung der Befindlichkeit umso starker ausfiel, je geringer der Ausgangswert war. Bei 7 Patienten kam es im Mittel zu einer Verschlechterung. Es konnte unter vollklinischen Bedingungen eine Effektstarke von 0,38 fur die als nondirektive Spieltherapie konzipierte Therapie ermittelt werden. Tiergestutzte Therapie ist besonders bei psychosomatischen, emotionalen und affektiven Storungen wirkungsvoll.