Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers
The purpose of this study was to explore first time handlers’ experiences when working with an assistance dog (AD). Interviewees included seven first time AD handlers and 14 other individuals close to these handlers, including family members, carers and AD instructors. Semi-structured inte...
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2019-04-01
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doaj-6f6d31a8e2e643f9bc4e742d2fe7f9322020-11-25T02:01:07ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152019-04-019520310.3390/ani9050203ani9050203Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time HandlersJennifer Gravrok0Dan Bendrups1Tiffani Howell2Pauleen Bennett3Anthrozoology Research Group, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Edwards Rd, Flora Hill, VIC 3552, AustraliaResearch Education and Development Team, Graduate Research School, La Trobe University, Edwards Rd, Flora Hill, VIC 3552, AustraliaAnthrozoology Research Group, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Edwards Rd, Flora Hill, VIC 3552, AustraliaAnthrozoology Research Group, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Edwards Rd, Flora Hill, VIC 3552, AustraliaThe purpose of this study was to explore first time handlers’ experiences when working with an assistance dog (AD). Interviewees included seven first time AD handlers and 14 other individuals close to these handlers, including family members, carers and AD instructors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted six months and one year after each handler received their AD. Interview questions were informed by the Thriving Through Relationships theory of social support and previous interviews with the participants. Inductive content analysis corroborated previous findings regarding the benefits that ADs provide. In addition, four factors were revealed to substantially influence the challenges handlers experienced when learning to utilize their dog. These included the handlers’ medical conditions, cognitive ability and social environment, and dog-related factors. Organizations would benefit from considering these factors in their operational processes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/5/203service dogsdisabilitythrivingassistive technology |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jennifer Gravrok Dan Bendrups Tiffani Howell Pauleen Bennett |
spellingShingle |
Jennifer Gravrok Dan Bendrups Tiffani Howell Pauleen Bennett Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers Animals service dogs disability thriving assistive technology |
author_facet |
Jennifer Gravrok Dan Bendrups Tiffani Howell Pauleen Bennett |
author_sort |
Jennifer Gravrok |
title |
Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers |
title_short |
Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers |
title_full |
Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers |
title_fullStr |
Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers |
title_full_unstemmed |
Beyond the Benefits of Assistance Dogs: Exploring Challenges Experienced by First-Time Handlers |
title_sort |
beyond the benefits of assistance dogs: exploring challenges experienced by first-time handlers |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Animals |
issn |
2076-2615 |
publishDate |
2019-04-01 |
description |
The purpose of this study was to explore first time handlers’ experiences when working with an assistance dog (AD). Interviewees included seven first time AD handlers and 14 other individuals close to these handlers, including family members, carers and AD instructors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted six months and one year after each handler received their AD. Interview questions were informed by the Thriving Through Relationships theory of social support and previous interviews with the participants. Inductive content analysis corroborated previous findings regarding the benefits that ADs provide. In addition, four factors were revealed to substantially influence the challenges handlers experienced when learning to utilize their dog. These included the handlers’ medical conditions, cognitive ability and social environment, and dog-related factors. Organizations would benefit from considering these factors in their operational processes. |
topic |
service dogs disability thriving assistive technology |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/5/203 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT jennifergravrok beyondthebenefitsofassistancedogsexploringchallengesexperiencedbyfirsttimehandlers AT danbendrups beyondthebenefitsofassistancedogsexploringchallengesexperiencedbyfirsttimehandlers AT tiffanihowell beyondthebenefitsofassistancedogsexploringchallengesexperiencedbyfirsttimehandlers AT pauleenbennett beyondthebenefitsofassistancedogsexploringchallengesexperiencedbyfirsttimehandlers |
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