Development & evaluation of an intervention to increase joint activity and social wellbeing for adolescents with developmental disabilities

PI: Megan MacDonald & Monique Udell (MPI model)
Funding: NIH/ NICHD

The proposed research will improve our understanding of a ‘one health’ approach to physical activity interventions for adolescents with developmental disabilities through the development and evaluation of a novel, imitation-based, intervention with the family dog. This intervention is designed to increase daily physical activity, quality of life and social wellbeing in adolescents with developmental disabilities, even after the program has been completed. This research will improve public health by evaluating new areas of animal assisted intervention aimed at improved developmental trajectories for adolescents with developmental disabilities, directly addressing the research goals of the One Health initiative.