{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,9]],"date-time":"2026-10-09T23:53:21Z","timestamp":1791590001228,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,24]],"date-time":"2022-11-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1669248000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"funder":[{"name":"Industrial Doctorate Spanish National grant program, part of the Strategic Plan on Science and Innovation Support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities","award":["DIN2018- 010129"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DIN2018- 010129"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Clin Child Psychol Psychiatry"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Animal-assisted interventions are frequently used to stimulate and improve different skills in children with and without disabilities. However, the heterogeneity of AAI studies in preschool children is large, including different health conditions, duration, outcomes, study design or therapy animals. Therefore, the current study aims to summarize all intervention procedures and provide an updated analysis of the effectiveness of AAI intervention in the early childhood. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA), a systematic search was conducted in two databases: Pubmed (MedLine) and Web of Science. The risk of bias was assessed using the Evidence Project risk of bias tool. A total of 319 articles were identified and 17 were finally included in the qualitative synthesis. Due to the large heterogeneity in terms of study design, intervention, and sample characteristics, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis. Animal-assisted interventions might lead to a positive impact on physical, physiological, psychosocial, and language skills in preschool children. These enhancements may be observed both in healthy children and in those with different health conditions, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism disorder, or Down syndrome. Results must be interpreted with caution due to the large heterogeneity and risk of bias in the included articles.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/13591045221142115","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,24]],"date-time":"2022-11-24T21:41:14Z","timestamp":1669326074000},"page":"850-873","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Benefits of animal-Assisted interventions in preschool children: A systematic review"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"28","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9357-9987","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Myriam","family":"Lav\u00edn-P\u00e9rez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"GO fitLAB, Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Beatriz","family":"Rivera-Mart\u00edn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal-Assisted Intervention Office, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Communication and Sociology Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Luis Lucio","family":"Lobato-Rinc\u00f3n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal-Assisted Intervention Office, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Psychology, King Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Santos","family":"Villafaina-Dom\u00ednguez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Physical Activity and Quality of Life Research Group (AFYCAV), Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Collado-Mateo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Sport Studies, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain"},{"name":"Animal-Assisted Intervention Office, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,24]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"bibr1-13591045221142115","first-page":"1","volume":"17","author":"Anderson H. K.","year":"2019","journal-title":"Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice"},{"key":"bibr2-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/19411243.2015.1026017"},{"key":"bibr3-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/acm.2011.0835"},{"key":"bibr4-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph14070669"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr5-13591045221142115","first-page":"347","volume":"46","author":"Bronson C.","year":"2010","journal-title":"Eur J Phys Rehabil Med"},{"key":"bibr6-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph16081472"},{"key":"bibr7-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3109\/09593981003623659"},{"key":"bibr8-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ctcp.2018.06.011"},{"key":"bibr9-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina56090444"},{"key":"bibr10-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10409289.2018.1475820"},{"key":"bibr11-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/03057240903528733"},{"key":"bibr12-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archger.2012.12.007"},{"key":"bibr13-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.9758\/cpn.2019.17.1.1"},{"key":"bibr14-13591045221142115","volume-title":"Kinematic gait analysis of children with neurological impairments pre and post hippotherapy intervention","author":"Encheff J. L.","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr15-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/00005053-198308000-00002"},{"key":"bibr16-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2018.e00777"},{"key":"bibr17-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.humov.2014.06.011"},{"key":"bibr18-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/175303712X13403555186172"},{"key":"bibr19-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/175303710X12750451258896"},{"key":"bibr20-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/175303710X12682332910051"},{"key":"bibr21-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/175303712X13316289505387"},{"key":"bibr22-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/089279307X245509"},{"key":"bibr23-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/175303709X457603"},{"key":"bibr24-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph14050483"},{"key":"bibr25-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1901\/jaba.1996.29-67"},{"key":"bibr26-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/J006v27n04_03"},{"key":"bibr27-13591045221142115","volume-title":"Psychosocial benefits of animal companionshipn in handbook on animal-assisted therapy","author":"Hart L. A.","year":"2006"},{"key":"bibr28-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/pri.1809"},{"key":"bibr29-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-020-04483-7"},{"key":"bibr30-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1207\/s15326942dn2802_5"},{"key":"bibr31-13591045221142115","volume-title":"The IAHAIO definitions for animal assisted intervention and guidelines for wellness of animals involved in AAIIAHAIO","author":"IAHAIO","year":"2018"},{"key":"bibr32-13591045221142115","unstructured":"Jegatheesan B., Beetz A., Ormerod E., Johnson R., Fine A., Yamazaki K., Choi G. (2014). The IAHAIO definitions for animal assisted intervention and guidelines for wellnes of animals involved in AAI."},{"key":"bibr33-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0210761"},{"key":"bibr34-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13643-018-0925-0"},{"key":"bibr35-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1589\/jpts.26.1325"},{"key":"bibr36-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1097\/PEP.0000000000000567"},{"key":"bibr37-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2009.06.006"},{"key":"bibr38-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/pme.12551"},{"key":"bibr39-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10643-017-0862-x"},{"key":"bibr40-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0012-1649.38.3.376"},{"key":"bibr41-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.24310\/espsiescpsi.v8i3.13240"},{"key":"bibr42-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10803-017-3219-9"},{"key":"bibr43-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1348\/000712600161673"},{"key":"bibr44-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0039-1685526"},{"key":"bibr45-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/01942638.2019.1615601"},{"key":"bibr46-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yhbeh.2008.12.002"},{"key":"bibr47-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-3999(00)00183-5"},{"key":"bibr48-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S1090-0233(02)00237-X"},{"key":"bibr49-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/175303713X13697429463835"},{"key":"bibr50-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10409289.2016.1238674"},{"key":"bibr51-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10643-020-01020-0"},{"key":"bibr52-13591045221142115","volume-title":"The neuroscience of language: On brain circuits of words and serial order","author":"Pulvermuller F.","year":"2002"},{"key":"bibr53-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.33588\/rn.66S01.2017537"},{"key":"bibr54-13591045221142115","volume-title":"Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence","author":"Shaffer D. R.","year":"1996"},{"key":"bibr55-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.apmr.2009.01.026"},{"key":"bibr56-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2752\/089279307X245491"},{"key":"bibr57-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2466\/pr0.1998.82.1.191"},{"key":"bibr58-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2010.02.004"},{"key":"bibr59-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10112129"},{"key":"bibr60-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ecresq.2018.03.002"},{"key":"bibr61-13591045221142115","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph17165922"}],"container-title":["Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/13591045221142115","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/13591045221142115","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/13591045221142115","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T14:20:11Z","timestamp":1777386011000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"http:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/13591045221142115"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,24]]},"references-count":61,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2023,4]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/13591045221142115"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/13591045221142115","relation":{},"ISSN":["1359-1045","1461-7021"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1359-1045","type":"print"},{"value":"1461-7021","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,24]]}}}