Maggie O'Haire

maGGIE o'haire

Fulbright Postgraduate Scholar

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a prevalent and debilitating disorder with no universal treatment protocol or cure. Theorists and clinical practitioners in the fields of ASD and Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) propose that AAT may offer a groundbreaking and successful alternative to current practices in the treatment of ASD.

Maggie O’Haire, a Vassar College psychology graduate, will have the opportunity to study the effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy on adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Australia, thanks to winning a Fulbright Scholarship. Maggie is one of thirteen Americans to be granted a Postgraduate Scholarship from the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, which she will use to conduct research at the Centre for Companion Animal Health (CCAH) at the University of Queensland.

Maggie chose to further her study on ASD at the CCAH because it provides a world-class research centre, leading in the development of scientific and social advances in the fields of human-animal interaction and AAT.

“I will engage in a yearlong research project to examine the hypothesis that the presence of a live companion animal in the life of an adolescent diagnosed with ASD will improve their empathy, emotional expression, communication and bonding,” Maggie explained.

“Researchers in Australia and the U.S. have been instrumental in pioneering research into the health benefits of owning pets…Yet despite growing support for the physiological health benefits of owning pets, very little research has been done to assess the psychological benefits of pet ownership.”

One area where the psychological benefits may be particularly salient is in the use of AAT in the treatment of adolescents with ASD explains Maggie. “Animals often hold a special appeal for adolescents, providing a potential source of comfort and security, and are catalysts for interpersonal interaction and communications. In this way, AAT may provide a successful alternative to traditional treatment plans, as it provides the adolescent with ASD a positive association for therapy and a comforting companion to rely on throughout the process.”

Maggie has previously been recognised for her academic performance with a number of positions, including Research Assistant for the Psychology Department at Vassar College (2006-2008), Research Fellow for the Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (2007), and Research Intern for the Clinical Department at Green Chimneys, which is recognized as the world-leader in AAT (2007-2008). When her Fulbright Scholarship is completed she plans to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology and to focus her research on the effects of human-animal interactions on psychological wellbeing.