Curriculum-Based Animal-Assisted Therapy in an Acute Outpatient Mental Health Setting
Tóm tắt
Rigor in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) research is growing, but AAT as an “evidence-based practice” is not yet clearly established. One methodological weakness in the current literature is the lack of a structured, manualized approach to AAT. The Mutt-i-grees Curriculum, founded on the principles of human-canine interaction, aims to enhance children’s resilience, social skills, and self-awareness. This study examined the utility of this manualized curriculum as a supplemental component of a pediatric intensive behavioral health treatment program for children with a range of psychiatric conditions. Patients, psychiatrists, and caregivers completed assessments of children’s (N = 22) symptoms before and after treatment, with analyses investigating the difference in symptoms for patients who received animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as a part of their treatment and patients who did not. Patients also completed mood scores before and after group sessions with and without a therapy dog present. Results indicate that AAT may be an effective adjunct to standard care in a pediatric setting. The success of AAT alongside behavioral treatment led to reduction in symptoms and improvement in mood for patients. These findings support previous research indicating the efficacy of using a manualized curriculum and the advantages of using dogs as part of treatment to supplement behavioral health services.
Tài liệu tham khảo
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