Evaluating Additive Effects of Including Canines in Regulating Together

Inclusion Criteria:

• Concern of emotion dysregulation (ED) as measured by a score of 6 or greater on the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory-Reactivity (EDI-R)
• Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
• Diagnosis confirmed by an experienced ASD clinician and further supported by scoring in the range for ASD on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2)
• A Full Scale Intelligence Quotient score of 65 or greater on the Weschler Abbreviated Scale Intelligence (WASI-II)
• English is the primary language
• Family willing to keep prescribed medication stable over the course of the study period

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participant has a phobia toward or is allergic to canines
• Participant has a history of aggression toward animals
• Participant has had any physical aggression toward other children outside the home in the past 2 weeks that resulted in injury
• Presence of comorbid major neuropsychiatric illness warranting other treatment approaches as determined by the study clinician(s) including substance use disorders, psychotic disorders/schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, among others
• Presence of any major sensory impairment that would limit participating in the material including blindness or uncorrected hearing loss
• A legal guardian is not available to provide informed consent