The evaluation of motor skills’ changes of children with hyperactivity disorder when applying Dog-Assisted therapy

Thesis objective: to evaluate motor skills’ changes of children with hyperactivity disorder assessing results before Dog-Assisted therapy application, 5 and 10 classes after Dog-Assisted therapy. The following aims were targeted in order to accomplish the chosen objective: 1. To evaluate the fine motor of children with hyperactivity disorder before and after Dog-Assisted therapy application. 2. To evaluate the gross motor of children with hyperactivity disorder before and after Dog-Assisted therapy application. The research was conducted at the center of Kaunas’ children welfare “Pastogė” in 2016 during the months of April, May and June. Superiors of the center, participants and their care-takers were introduced with the process and purpose of the research, written care-takers’ consents were also obtained. There were 11 pre-school aged children participating in the research, either living at the center of children welfare “Pastogė” or at home with their care-takers. Children were selected focusing on those with hyperactivity, behavior or affective disorders. Participants were aged 4 to 6 years old. Research methods: tests were taken three times: before Dog-Assisted therapy application, after 5 and 10 classes of Dog-Assisted therapy. All of the testing and Dog-Assisted therapy classes took place in the same building. Bruininks-Oseretsky test was used for the gross motor evaluation, using this test the gross motor skills (static and dynamic balance, jumping and ball-handling skills) were assessed. Dog-Assisted therapy activities with children were the most in games form, during activities children had individually appointed time. During this time they was assigned to do appointed tasks (comb, heard the heartbeat, \"treating\", gave commands for dogs, fed, cared for them, and so on.). Conclusions: 1. After five Dog-Assisted therapy classes, pre-school age children with hyperactivity disorder have improved only a general assessment of fine motor skills, and after ten activities, have improved fine motor skills: upper limb motion speed, one-side and mutual hand coordination. 2. The assessment of gross motor skills found that after ten session Dog-Assisted therapy improved pre-school age hyperactive children balance and jumping