Participant characteristics (with dog n=80, waiting list for dog n=84)
| Characteristics | With dog N (%) | Waiting list for dog N (%) | p Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | |||
| Male | 70 (87.5) | 77 (91.7) | – |
| Age (years) | |||
| 0–6 | 30 (37.5) | 60 (71.4) | <0.001 |
| 7–9 | 50 (62.5) | 24 (28.6) | |
| Location | |||
| Town/city centre | 11 (13.8) | 8 (9.0) | 0.217 |
| Suburb | 33 (41.3) | 47 (57.0) | |
| Countryside | 36 (45.0) | 28 (34.0) | |
| Other conditions | |||
| Yes | 24 (30.0) | 27 (32.1) | 0.767 |
| Verbal | |||
| Yes | 42 (52.5) | 35 (42.0) | 0.165 |
| Education | |||
| Preschool | 0 | 10 (11.9) | – |
| Home tuition | 1 (1.0) | 4 (5.0) | – |
| Primary | 13 (16.3) | 11 (31.1) | 0.025 |
| Special class (primary) | 17 (21.3) | 29 (34.5) | |
| Special school (ASD) | 49 (61.3) | 30 (35.7) | |
| Interventions | |||
| Speech and language | 38 (47.5) | 32 (38.1) | 0.224 |
| Occupational therapy | 37 (46.3) | 32 (38.1) | 0.290 |
| Resource teacher | 20 (25.0) | 22 (26.2) | 0.861 |
| Special needs assistant | 64 (80.0) | 57 (67.9) | 0.077 |
p Values are from valid χ² tests.
‘–’ Not included in χ² analysis as numbers do not meet minimum expected count.
ASD, autism spectrum disorder.