Nice Doggie! Contact Desensitization Plus Reinforcement Decreases Dog Phobias for Children with Autism.

Dog phobias are common in individuals with autism; however, evidence supporting behavioral interventions is limited. The current study evaluated the efficacy of contact desensitization plus reinforcement on dog phobic behavior exhibited by three children diagnosed with autism. The treatment package improved contact with dogs in analog and naturalistic settings and the improvements were maintained at follow-up and in generalization tests.