title: Hearing dogs: a longitudinal study of social and psychological effects on deaf and hard-of-hearing recipients.
abstract: The organization Hearing Dogs for Deaf People provides assistance dogs that alert their deaf or hard-of-hearing recipients to key sounds, thus increasing their independence and also providing companionship. Fifty-one recipients took part in a longitudinal study to monitor the dogs' working performance over time and to examine the social and psychological effects of having a Hearing Dog. The Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used together with a Hearing Dog Questionnaire (HDQ) specifically developed for this study. There were a number of significant differences in measures of well-being between the period prior to placing the Hearing Dog and the period after placement, but there were no comparable differences during the year-long waiting period prior to placement of the dog. Recipients reported significant reductions in hearing-related problems such as response to environmental sounds; significant reductions in measures of tension, anxiety, and depression; and significant improvements in social involvement and independence. The longitudinal nature of this study supports evidence that these improvements persist for some time after the placement of a dog, with significant differences being reported, in many cases, up to 18 months after acquiring a dog.
authors.affiliation: Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, The Grange, Wycombe Road, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, Bucks HP27 9NS, United Kingdom. cmguest@hearing-dogs.co.uk
authors.forename: Claire M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Guest
authors.forename: Glyn M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Collis
authors.forename: June
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McNicholas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D003638:Deafness / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D001841:Human-Animal Bond; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010067:Ownership; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires