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Shelter Cat Adoption in Families of Children With Autism (Feline Friends)

NCT ID: NCT03625297

Last Updated: 2020-11-02

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

11 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2017-06-23

Study Completion Date

2019-10-01

Brief Summary

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The overall purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the introduction of a shelter cat into the family of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder on the social skills and anxiety of the child, and to examine stress in the cat.

Detailed Description

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Many families in the United States live with cats as companion animals, including families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). One in 68 children are diagnosed with ASD. There is no cure for ASD, and no one treatment works for all children. Symptoms of ASD include a lack of social skills and anxiety. Companion animals have been helpful for children with ASD. However, no one has studied stress of cats living in families of children with ASD. This study will place 64 pre-screened shelter cats in pre-screened homes and monitor the stress of the cats. Cats ages 10 months to four years that have been screened for calm behavior using a temperament, test will be adopted by families in the study. Families will also be screened for pet issues. No cat will be placed in a home with a child who has a history of aggression to animals. The study will also examine the social skills and anxiety of the children with ASD, and bonding of the parents and children with their cats. Five to eight million dogs and cats are relinquished to animal shelters in the United States each year. Thirty-eight percent of cats are given up for behavioral reasons. Studying cat stress and the placement of cats, with calm and non-aggressive characteristics into homes of families of children with ASD may help shed light on the likely success of the relationships between shelter cats and these families.

Conditions

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Social Skills Anxiety

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

CROSSOVER

This study uses a two-group randomized, repeated measures design with a delayed treatment control group.
Primary Study Purpose

OTHER

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Shelter cat adoption control group

Families of children with autism will complete a control period with no intervention, then adopt a shelter cat after completion of the control period

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

shelter cat adoption

Families of children with autism will adopt a shelter cat

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

shelter cat

Intervention Type OTHER

families will adopt a shelter cat

Interventions

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shelter cat

families will adopt a shelter cat

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* child with diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
* no cat currently living with the family
* willingness to adopt a shelter cat
* English speaking
* live within 125 miles of Columbia, Missouri

Exclusion Criteria

* child with Autism Spectrum Disorder having any history of animal aggression
* children with cat allergies
Minimum Eligible Age

6 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

17 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Winn Feline Foundation

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Missouri-Columbia

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Gretchen K Carlisle

Research Scientist

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Gretchen K Carlisle, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Missouri-Columbia

Locations

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University of Missouri

Columbia, Missouri, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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2008460

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id