Keywords
Anxiety
Animal-Assisted Therapy
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Abstract
Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of Animal-Assisted Therapy in reducing anxiety and enhancing social interaction in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Methods: An integrative literature review was conducted in the PubMed, BVS and Cochrane databases using DeCS and MeSH descriptors, filtering studies published between 2020 and 2025 in English, Portuguese or Spanish, involving children with ASD assessing anxiety reduction and promotion of social interaction. Articles without full text, not focused on the pediatric population, or lacking methodological rigor were excluded. After reading 17 full-text articles, 14 studies were included. Results: The reviewed studies showed that animal-assisted interventions significantly reduced anxiety symptoms and improved communication and social interaction. Reports indicate that the presence of animals acts as an emotional mediator, facilitating affective expression and social participation. Final Considerations: Animal-Assisted Therapy appears to be a promising strategy for managing ASD symptoms, although findings are limited by methodological heterogeneity.
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