The Role of Animals in Pediatric Occupational Therapy Telehealth Interventions: A Survey of Therapist Perspectives.

Abstract

Aims: Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) incorporate animals in health, education, or human services to improve participant health and well-being. AAI can decrease stress, increase happiness, and improve motor skills. During the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual AAI programs became more common. Telehealth also became more prevalent in occupational therapy. This study explored the perceptions of occupational therapy (OT) practitioners regarding including animals in telehealth OT pediatric interventions.

Methods: Survey responses were collected from 18 occupational therapists who have included animals in OT pediatric telehealth interventions.

Results: Most participants agreed that incorporating animals into telehealth enhanced the therapeutic experience for their clients, as they perceived the intervention to decrease stress levels, improve mood, and increase social interaction skills. Additionally, three themes emerged from participants' open-ended responses: virtual AAI is versatile, virtual AAI can enhance the telehealth experience, and there are different challenges associated with virtual AAI.

Conclusions: The findings provide clear support for the role of animals in pediatric OT telehealth interventions.