1-047 - Animal-Assisted Interventions for Special Populations

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Within the broader research domain of human-animal interaction (HAI), animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are those which purposefully include an animal for therapeutic gains in humans. Studies of the inclusion of animals in therapeutic interventions and rehabilitation for individuals with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, neurological disorders, and behavioral, emotional and mental health issues has become increasingly common, as has the use of such interventions to promote healthy behaviors and facilitate learning in special need and at-risk populations. While conclusive evidence for the efficacy of AAIs has been limited, some preliminary studies suggest benefits of AAIs for individuals with certain conditions. Over the past several years, there have been calls for improving the quality of the methodology in HAI research. This paper symposium highlights three rigorous studies that are examining animal-assisted interventions in special populations.

The first paper examines whether interacting with a therapy dog reduces anxiety in adolescents with varying levels of social anxiety and how different types of interaction with the dog may help uncover which components of AAIs contribute to potentially beneficial outcomes. The second paper is a randomized feasibility trial to test whether incorporating an animal-assisted intervention into trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) for maltreated children is more effective than CBT alone for enhancing therapeutic rapport, and reducing post-traumatic stress symptoms. The third paper describes a study which tests the “Do As I Do” dog training intervention on outcomes of physical activity and social wellbeing in children with developmental disabilities compared to those in control conditions.

Sub Unit

• Prevention and Interventions

Chair

• Layla Esposito, NICHD (NIH)

Discussant

• James Griffin, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); National Institutes of Health

Individual Presentations

• Measuring Mechanisms of Stress Reduction in Animal-Assisted Interventions - Presenting Author: Megan Kiely Mueller, Tufts University; Non-Presenting Author: Heather Urry, Tufts University; Non-Presenting Author: Eric Anderson, Maine Medical Research Center Institute, Tufts University School of Medicine

• Integrating Animal-Assisted Therapy into Trauma-Focused CBT for Maltreated Youth: A Randomized Feasibility Trial - Presenting Author: Brian Allen, Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine; Center for the Protection of Children, Penn State Hershey Medical Center; Non-Presenting Author: Chad Shenk, Center for the Protection of Children, Penn State Hershey Medical Center; Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Penn State University; Non-Presenting Author: Nancy A. Dreschel, Department of Animal Science, Penn State University; Non-Presenting Author: Ming Wang, Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine; Non-Presenting Author: Ashley Bucher, Department of Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine

• Physical Activity and Social Wellbeing Benefits for Children with Developmental Disabilities with their Family Dog - Presenting Author: Megan MacDonald, Oregon State University; Non-Presenting Author: Monique Udell, Oregon State University; Non-Presenting Author: John Schuna, Oregon State University; Non-Presenting Author: Duo Jiang, Oregon State University