Animal-assisted Resilience Training for Children With Stressful Life Events or Autism Spectrum Disorder

Effects of an Animal-assisted Resilience Training for Children With a History of Stressful Life Events or a Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study

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.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 2 and 4 years (toddler group) or 8 and 12 years (children group)
• History of at least one stressful life event experience OR diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder
• Basic knowledge of either German or English of parents and child to follow the instructions during the training sessions and completion of interviews.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Medical contraindications for contact with animals, such as allergies or phobia