Janet Hoy-Gerlach, Aviva Vincent, B. Scheuermann, Mamta U. Ojha
While anecdotal accounts describe mental health recovery-related benefits of having Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), to date there have been no studies on such within peer-reviewed journals. This pilot study yields data on how ESAs may facilitate mental health recovery and related benefits for persons with Serious Mental Illness (SMI).Through an ESA placement program, the Hope and Recovery Pet program (HARP), shelter dogs and cats were placed as ESAs with adults (N=11) with SMI. A longitudinal mixed method research design was utilized to explore potential ESA impact. Pre- and post-placement data from participants was collected on depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Biomarker data (saliva analytes assessing oxytocin, cortisol, alpha amylase) were collected before and after ten-minute interactions with ESAs at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Qualitative data was collected twelve months post-placement. Significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and loneliness scale scores via the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA), respectively, were found. While not significant, there was a pattern of oxytocin increase and cortisol decrease after ten minutes of ESA interaction. Qualitative data indicated participants attributed their improvements in mental health and well-being to their respective ESAs. Findings underscore the need for continued research on ESA companionship as a mental health recovery support.
{"title":"Exploring Benefits of Emotional Support Animals (ESAs): A Longitudinal Pilot Study with Adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI)","authors":"Janet Hoy-Gerlach, Aviva Vincent, B. Scheuermann, Mamta U. Ojha","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0016","url":null,"abstract":"While anecdotal accounts describe mental health recovery-related benefits of having Emotional Support Animals (ESAs), to date there have been no studies on such within peer-reviewed journals. This pilot study yields data on how ESAs may facilitate mental health recovery and related benefits for persons with Serious Mental Illness (SMI).Through an ESA placement program, the Hope and Recovery Pet program (HARP), shelter dogs and cats were placed as ESAs with adults (N=11) with SMI. A longitudinal mixed method research design was utilized to explore potential ESA impact. Pre- and post-placement data from participants was collected on depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Biomarker data (saliva analytes assessing oxytocin, cortisol, alpha amylase) were collected before and after ten-minute interactions with ESAs at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Qualitative data was collected twelve months post-placement. Significant reductions in anxiety, depression, and loneliness scale scores via the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA), respectively, were found. While not significant, there was a pattern of oxytocin increase and cortisol decrease after ten minutes of ESA interaction. Qualitative data indicated participants attributed their improvements in mental health and well-being to their respective ESAs. Findings underscore the need for continued research on ESA companionship as a mental health recovery support.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90616995","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
I. Nose, Kaori Masamoto, A. Tsuchida, Mikiya Hayashi, M. Irimajiri, M. Kakinuma
Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) is widely used in therapeutic and educational situations. It is necessary to describe the effects of AAI based on objective indices to facilitate the effective use of AAI. We investigated the effects of interacting with a dog on sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activities by evaluating heart rate variability (HRV) using the Lorenz plot method. Participants were thirty-four healthy volunteers (17 females and 17 males, 20-29 years of age), randomly assigned to one of three groups: the dog group, the stuffed dog group, and the plant group. Participants rated their impressions of the target (the dog, the stuffed dog, or the plant) by touching it between task blocks. The participants completed a mood scale in each block, and we measured their heart rate, respiration rate, and skin conductance response. Results indicated that interactions with the dog increased the cardiac sympathetic index of Lorentz plot, skin conductance responses, and “high-arousal and pleasant mood” score compared to the other conditions. These results suggest that short interactions with a dog activate the sympathetic nervous system, which causes an awakening effect.
{"title":"The Effect of Interaction with a Dog on Heart Rate","authors":"I. Nose, Kaori Masamoto, A. Tsuchida, Mikiya Hayashi, M. Irimajiri, M. Kakinuma","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0004","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) is widely used in therapeutic and educational situations. It is necessary to describe the effects of AAI based on objective indices to facilitate the effective use of AAI. We investigated the effects of interacting with a dog on sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activities by evaluating heart rate variability (HRV) using the Lorenz plot method. Participants were thirty-four healthy volunteers (17 females and 17 males, 20-29 years of age), randomly assigned to one of three groups: the dog group, the stuffed dog group, and the plant group. Participants rated their impressions of the target (the dog, the stuffed dog, or the plant) by touching it between task blocks. The participants completed a mood scale in each block, and we measured their heart rate, respiration rate, and skin conductance response. Results indicated that interactions with the dog increased the cardiac sympathetic index of Lorentz plot, skin conductance responses, and “high-arousal and pleasant mood” score compared to the other conditions. These results suggest that short interactions with a dog activate the sympathetic nervous system, which causes an awakening effect.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89457008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katrina Winsor, Jay Silverstein, Lea A. Theodore, Arth Naik, Eric Shyman
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has become increasingly popular as an adjunct to treatment across a variety of populations and disciplines. However, minimal empirical documentation for AAT exists in the literature. The purpose of this project was to assess the efficacy of animal-assisted occupational therapy (AAOT) on attention in preschoolers. We hypothesized that the presence of a specially trained canine in the treatment room would increase attention to therapist-directed activities during a table-based occupational therapy activity. A total of 12 preschool-aged children participated in this study during regularly-scheduled occupational therapy sessions. Data were collected based on the percentage of time the student was off-task during the activity. Results demonstrated statistical significance, with the children significantly less off-task on average when a dog was present during instruction than when a dog was not present (t (11) = 2.89, p = .015). This study provides additional research to support the efficacy of AAT with a focus on the preschool population, which is an area that is underrepresented in published literature.
动物辅助治疗(AAT)作为一种辅助治疗在各种人群和学科中越来越受欢迎。然而，文献中存在的AAT的经验文献很少。本研究的目的是评估动物辅助作业疗法(AAOT)对学龄前儿童注意力的影响。我们假设，在基于桌子的职业治疗活动中，在治疗室中有一只经过特殊训练的狗会增加对治疗师指导活动的关注。共有12名学龄前儿童在定期安排的职业治疗期间参加了本研究。数据是根据学生在活动期间脱离任务的时间百分比收集的。结果显示具有统计学意义，在指导期间有狗在场的儿童比没有狗在场的儿童平均更少地偏离任务(t (11) = 2.89, p = 0.015)。这项研究提供了额外的研究来支持AAT的有效性，重点关注学龄前人群，这是一个在已发表的文献中代表性不足的领域。
{"title":"Assessing the Impact of Animal-Assisted Occupational Therapy on Attention in Preschoolers","authors":"Katrina Winsor, Jay Silverstein, Lea A. Theodore, Arth Naik, Eric Shyman","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0007","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has become increasingly popular as an adjunct to treatment across a variety of populations and disciplines. However, minimal empirical documentation for AAT exists in the literature. The purpose of this project was to assess the efficacy of animal-assisted occupational therapy (AAOT) on attention in preschoolers. We hypothesized that the presence of a specially trained canine in the treatment room would increase attention to therapist-directed activities during a table-based occupational therapy activity. A total of 12 preschool-aged children participated in this study during regularly-scheduled occupational therapy sessions. Data were collected based on the percentage of time the student was off-task during the activity. Results demonstrated statistical significance, with the children significantly less off-task on average when a dog was present during instruction than when a dog was not present\u0000 (t\u0000 (11)\u0000 = 2.89,\u0000 p\u0000 = .015). This study provides additional research to support the efficacy of AAT with a focus on the preschool population, which is an area that is underrepresented in published literature.\u0000","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"31 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81489861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Robino, D. Feldman, Alyssa N. Stein, Melody A. Schmaltz, Hailey A. Fitzpatrick, J. Tartar, Frankie Pizzo, Marah Friedman, Olivia Feldman
Animal-assisted crisis response (AACR) is an intervention that harnesses the human-animal bond for therapeutic benefit through specially trained animal-handler teams deployed to provide comfort following a mass traumatic event. During the months and years following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018, therapy animals joined the campus community to promote healing and stress reduction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the sustained effects on bonding and stress in a sample of survivors of the tragedy who participated in animal-assisted crisis response. Data was collected through a quasi-experimental study of three intervention groups (i.e., discussion of AACR, viewing photos related to AACR, and engaging with therapy animals). Cortisol analysis indicated a reduction in stress post-intervention across groups with the largest difference in the therapy animal interaction group. Implications for AACR and addressing the psychological effects of mass traumas are provided.
{"title":"Sustained Effects of Animal-Assisted Crisis Response on Stress in School Shooting Survivors","authors":"A. Robino, D. Feldman, Alyssa N. Stein, Melody A. Schmaltz, Hailey A. Fitzpatrick, J. Tartar, Frankie Pizzo, Marah Friedman, Olivia Feldman","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0019","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0019","url":null,"abstract":"Animal-assisted crisis response (AACR) is an intervention that harnesses the human-animal bond for therapeutic benefit through specially trained animal-handler teams deployed to provide comfort following a mass traumatic event. During the months and years following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on February 14, 2018, therapy animals joined the campus community to promote healing and stress reduction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the sustained effects on bonding and stress in a sample of survivors of the tragedy who participated in animal-assisted crisis response. Data was collected through a quasi-experimental study of three intervention groups (i.e., discussion of AACR, viewing photos related to AACR, and engaging with therapy animals). Cortisol analysis indicated a reduction in stress post-intervention across groups with the largest difference in the therapy animal interaction group. Implications for AACR and addressing the psychological effects of mass traumas are provided.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87157858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Youth who identify as transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary (TGNC) are at increased risk for mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, and suicidality; and social challenges including bullying, isolation, and lack of familial support. Best practices in promoting the social and emotional health of TGNC youth are continually evolving, and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) presents a compelling yet untested approach to meeting mental health needs of this population; a group AAT intervention might help TGNC youth who feel isolated to feel more connected and supported. This exploratory study sought to identify thematic content to be included in a future AAT group intervention geared towards TGNC youth, considering both the potential role of human-animal interactions and the identified needs of this population. Three focus groups were convened; one comprised of TGNC adults (N = 8), one of mental health clinicians with advanced training related to transgender mental health (N = 4), and one of certified Animal Assisted Play Therapists® (N = 5). The content of each group was coded thematically using modified grounded theory, and several subthemes emerged under broader themes of 1) the importance of animals in providing emotional support in general and 2) desired social supports that might be beneficial for TGNC youth. These themes inform discussion of possible next steps in the development of an AAT group for TGNC youth.
{"title":"Personal and Professional Perspectives on the Protective Role of Animals for Transgender Youth: A Qualitative Analysis","authors":"Katharine Wenocur, M. Matthews, Noopur Kotak","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0008","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Youth who identify as transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary (TGNC) are at increased risk for mental health challenges including anxiety, depression, and suicidality; and social challenges including bullying, isolation, and lack of familial support. Best practices in promoting the social and emotional health of TGNC youth are continually evolving, and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) presents a compelling yet untested approach to meeting mental health needs of this population; a group AAT intervention might help TGNC youth who feel isolated to feel more connected and supported. This exploratory study sought to identify thematic content to be included in a future AAT group intervention geared towards TGNC youth, considering both the potential role of human-animal interactions and the identified needs of this population. Three focus groups were convened; one comprised of TGNC adults (N = 8), one of mental health clinicians with advanced training related to transgender mental health (N = 4), and one of certified Animal Assisted Play Therapists® (N = 5). The content of each group was coded thematically using modified grounded theory, and several subthemes emerged under broader themes of 1) the importance of animals in providing emotional support in general and 2) desired social supports that might be beneficial for TGNC youth. These themes inform discussion of possible next steps in the development of an AAT group for TGNC youth.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"106 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84218058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Assistance dogs fill a wide variety of disability assistance roles. In many jurisdictions, assistance dogs have the legal right to enter public places with their handlers, including those that are typically off-limits to pet animals. Unfortunately, unlawful denial of access to these places is common, which may be due to lack of understanding about these access rights. The aim of this exploratory study was to determine awareness of assistance dog public access rights among the general population of Australian adults. An online survey was completed by 328 Australian residents, only six of whom had ever lived with an assistance dog. Analyses were primarily descriptive. About half (51%) worked in an environment in which occasional encounters with an assistance dog and handler team would be possible, but most participants reported rarely or never encountering an assistance dog in their community or workplace. Nonetheless, awareness of assistance dog public access rights was generally high, with nearly all participants aware that ‘pet dog’ is not a synonym for assistance dog, and that assistance dogs have the legal right to access shopping centres and public transport. Awareness was lower for limitations on these access rights, such as gatekeepers’ (i.e., people who determine whether a person enters their premises) right to ask for evidence that the dog is an assistance dog, and the right to deny access to a dog that is not well-controlled. Women had significantly higher knowledge about this topic than men, and age was positively correlated with knowledge, but both had weak effect sizes. Future educational campaigns should aim to increase awareness of assistance dogs’ legal rights and obligations, to reduce the likelihood of unlawful access denials in the future.
{"title":"Community Awareness of Assistance Dog Public Access Rights among Australian Adults","authors":"T. Howell, P. Bennett","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0014","url":null,"abstract":"Assistance dogs fill a wide variety of disability assistance roles. In many jurisdictions, assistance dogs have the legal right to enter public places with their handlers, including those that are typically off-limits to pet animals. Unfortunately, unlawful denial of access to these places is common, which may be due to lack of understanding about these access rights. The aim of this exploratory study was to determine awareness of assistance dog public access rights among the general population of Australian adults. An online survey was completed by 328 Australian residents, only six of whom had ever lived with an assistance dog. Analyses were primarily descriptive. About half (51%) worked in an environment in which occasional encounters with an assistance dog and handler team would be possible, but most participants reported rarely or never encountering an assistance dog in their community or workplace. Nonetheless, awareness of assistance dog public access rights was generally high, with nearly all participants aware that ‘pet dog’ is not a synonym for assistance dog, and that assistance dogs have the legal right to access shopping centres and public transport. Awareness was lower for limitations on these access rights, such as gatekeepers’ (i.e., people who determine whether a person enters their premises) right to ask for evidence that the dog is an assistance dog, and the right to deny access to a dog that is not well-controlled. Women had significantly higher knowledge about this topic than men, and age was positively correlated with knowledge, but both had weak effect sizes. Future educational campaigns should aim to increase awareness of assistance dogs’ legal rights and obligations, to reduce the likelihood of unlawful access denials in the future.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90542454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Williamson, C. Dell, D. Chalmers, M. Cruz, P. de Groot
Zooeyia includes the potential benefits that interactions and relationships with companion animals can bring to human health. These potential benefits have been grouped into four components to describe the means through which they may occur: pets as builders of social capital, agents of harm reduction, motivators for health behavior change, and active participants in treatment plans. This construct has been used to examine the human-animal bond (HAB) and understand animal-assisted interventions. It has not, however, been intentionally applied within the context of military Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid substance use paired with Service Dogs (SD). A qualitative approach to analysis using zooeyia was applied to data collected during an exploratory patient-oriented, time-series research design with Veterans teamed with SDs through a national holistic Canadian training program. All four components of zooeyia were present in the experiences of Veterans with SDs; SDs were builders of social capital, agents of harm reduction, motivators for health behavior change, and active participants in treatment plans. While Veterans working with SDs reported many benefits, the pairs also experienced specific complex challenges, beyond the expected concerns for a household pet. The human-animal relationship between Veterans in this study and their SDs, and the subsequent growing bond, is a key contributing component and step to the strengthening of zooeyia. This analysis of zooeyia extends our understanding of how SDs support veterans’ health, including better management of PTSD and problematic substance use. Because the HAB is reciprocal, this analysis also challenges One Health to recognize and embrace concerns for animal welfare.
{"title":"Strengthening Zooeyia: Understanding the Human-Animal Bond between Veterans Living with Comorbid Substance Use and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and their Service Dogs","authors":"L. Williamson, C. Dell, D. Chalmers, M. Cruz, P. de Groot","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0018","url":null,"abstract":"Zooeyia includes the potential benefits that interactions and relationships with companion animals can bring to human health. These potential benefits have been grouped into four components to describe the means through which they may occur: pets as builders of social capital, agents of harm reduction, motivators for health behavior change, and active participants in treatment plans. This construct has been used to examine the human-animal bond (HAB) and understand animal-assisted interventions. It has not, however, been intentionally applied within the context of military Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and comorbid substance use paired with Service Dogs (SD). A qualitative approach to analysis using zooeyia was applied to data collected during an exploratory patient-oriented, time-series research design with Veterans teamed with SDs through a national holistic Canadian training program. All four components of zooeyia were present in the experiences of Veterans with SDs; SDs were builders of social capital, agents of harm reduction, motivators for health behavior change, and active participants in treatment plans. While Veterans working with SDs reported many benefits, the pairs also experienced specific complex challenges, beyond the expected concerns for a household pet. The human-animal relationship between Veterans in this study and their SDs, and the subsequent growing bond, is a key contributing component and step to the strengthening of zooeyia. This analysis of zooeyia extends our understanding of how SDs support veterans’ health, including better management of PTSD and problematic substance use. Because the HAB is reciprocal, this analysis also challenges One Health to recognize and embrace concerns for animal welfare.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86042499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
N. Beasley, G. C. Elvers, R. Reeb, Hannah L. Torok
This study compares the effects of human-dog interactions and progressive muscle relaxation on stress in college students during the week of their final exams using self-report and physiological measures of stress. Students often cope with stress during the final exams period using various strategies such as spending time with a therapy dog. While students often report that their stress is reduced after visiting with a therapy dog, some studies find physiological evidence for a reduction in stress while others do not. During the first day of finals week, students ( N = 53) in an introductory psychology or a research methods course were randomly assigned to spend 15 minutes with a therapy dog or to spend 15 minutes doing a progressive muscle relaxation task. Heart rate variability, a physiological measure of stress, and two self-report measures of stress (the PSS-10 which is a 10 item questionnaire on the participants’ stress level and the SVAS on which the participants mark a visual scale to indicate their current stress level) were measured both before and after the treatments. Compared to the pre-treatment measures, stress was lower after the treatment. Spending time with a therapy dog can reduce stress associated with final exams. However, the intercorrelations between heart rate variability and the self-report measures were not statistically significant suggesting that the measures might correspond to different dimensions of the stress response, as explained in some theories of stress response and emotion. Future research regarding the effects of therapy dogs on stress should include at least one physiological measure of stress and ideally multiple measures. This inclusion might help clarify the underlying psychological and physiological mechanisms leading to stress reduction.
{"title":"Comparing the Effect of Human-Dog Interactions and Progressive Muscle Relaxation on Self-Report and Physiological Measures of Stress","authors":"N. Beasley, G. C. Elvers, R. Reeb, Hannah L. Torok","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0005","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 \u0000 This study compares the effects of human-dog interactions and progressive muscle relaxation on stress in college students during the week of their final exams using self-report and physiological measures of stress. Students often cope with stress during the final exams period using various strategies such as spending time with a therapy dog. While students often report that their stress is reduced after visiting with a therapy dog, some studies find physiological evidence for a reduction in stress while others do not. During the first day of finals week, students (\u0000 N\u0000 = 53) in an introductory psychology or a research methods course were randomly assigned to spend 15 minutes with a therapy dog or to spend 15 minutes doing a progressive muscle relaxation task. Heart rate variability, a physiological measure of stress, and two self-report measures of stress (the PSS-10 which is a 10 item questionnaire on the participants’ stress level and the SVAS on which the participants mark a visual scale to indicate their current stress level) were measured both before and after the treatments. Compared to the pre-treatment measures, stress was lower after the treatment. Spending time with a therapy dog can reduce stress associated with final exams. However, the intercorrelations between heart rate variability and the self-report measures were not statistically significant suggesting that the measures might correspond to different dimensions of the stress response, as explained in some theories of stress response and emotion. Future research regarding the effects of therapy dogs on stress should include at least one physiological measure of stress and ideally multiple measures. This inclusion might help clarify the underlying psychological and physiological mechanisms leading to stress reduction.\u0000","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"36 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73318904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zaida Nadal, M. Ferrari, Julián Lora, Alicia Revollo, Florencia Nicolas, Santiago Astegiano, Marcos Díaz Videla
Animal Hoarding Disorder (AHD) is a recently acknowledged psychiatric syndrome regarded as a form of Hoarding Disorder. Despite its great complexity, AHD has been underestimated both within and outside the academic community. This systematic review of the literature will assess some features to give a description of the syndrome. We have selected 26 empirical investigations which have been analyzed for such purpose. Moreover, we have estimated the mean values of some variables such as age (55.6 years old), gender (74.9% women), households (51.8% single-person), unemployment (53.6%), number of animals per case (64.1), presence of dead animals (32.9%) and object hoarding co-morbidity (59.5%). Results will be discussed to highlight AHD particular features, the need for an integrated view around the One Welfare concept and the need for an interdisciplinary approach. Given its complexity, we recommend acknowledging AHD as a separate nosographic entity.
{"title":"Noah’s Syndrome: Systematic Review of Animal Hoarding Disorder","authors":"Zaida Nadal, M. Ferrari, Julián Lora, Alicia Revollo, Florencia Nicolas, Santiago Astegiano, Marcos Díaz Videla","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0003","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Animal Hoarding Disorder (AHD) is a recently acknowledged psychiatric syndrome regarded as a form of Hoarding Disorder. Despite its great complexity, AHD has been underestimated both within and outside the academic community. This systematic review of the literature will assess some features to give a description of the syndrome. We have selected 26 empirical investigations which have been analyzed for such purpose. Moreover, we have estimated the mean values of some variables such as age (55.6 years old), gender (74.9% women), households (51.8% single-person), unemployment (53.6%), number of animals per case (64.1), presence of dead animals (32.9%) and object hoarding co-morbidity (59.5%). Results will be discussed to highlight AHD particular features, the need for an integrated view around the One Welfare concept and the need for an interdisciplinary approach. Given its complexity, we recommend acknowledging AHD as a separate nosographic entity.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85068010","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Deanna L Tepper, O. Landry, T. Howell, Delwyne Stephens, J. Molina, P. Bennett
The use of animal-assisted interventions as a method of improving symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is becoming increasingly common, with a significant proportion of available literature suggesting improvements in social communication and interaction. Less is known about potential impacts on restricted and repetitive behaviors, motor skills, or executive functions. Furthermore, it is unknown what level of interaction with an animal, if any, is needed to produce improvements. In the current study, the behavior and skills of 16 children diagnosed with ASD, aged 2 to 4 years, were observed when a therapy dog, Muffin, was actively interacting with them, passively present in a classroom, or absent from the classroom. Contrary to expectations, the children actively interacted with the dog only infrequently, and there were no differences across conditions on numerous variables. Muffin’s presence and activity level was only associated with motor skills in the children, with results indicating that the participants were more likely to remain stationary than engage in physical activity when the therapy dog was present, perhaps indicating a global calming effect. The general lack of significant differences suggests that further studies may be necessary to determine exactly which symptoms of ASD respond to animal-assisted interventions, and also to determine optimal treatment dosage and frequency. We contend that the design of animal-assisted intervention may be critical in producing previously reported benefits.
{"title":"Therapy dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder: Impacts of active versus passive dog engagement","authors":"Deanna L Tepper, O. Landry, T. Howell, Delwyne Stephens, J. Molina, P. Bennett","doi":"10.1079/hai.2022.0010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1079/hai.2022.0010","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The use of animal-assisted interventions as a method of improving symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is becoming increasingly common, with a significant proportion of available literature suggesting improvements in social communication and interaction. Less is known about potential impacts on restricted and repetitive behaviors, motor skills, or executive functions. Furthermore, it is unknown what level of interaction with an animal, if any, is needed to produce improvements. In the current study, the behavior and skills of 16 children diagnosed with ASD, aged 2 to 4 years, were observed when a therapy dog, Muffin, was actively interacting with them, passively present in a classroom, or absent from the classroom. Contrary to expectations, the children actively interacted with the dog only infrequently, and there were no differences across conditions on numerous variables. Muffin’s presence and activity level was only associated with motor skills in the children, with results indicating that the participants were more likely to remain stationary than engage in physical activity when the therapy dog was present, perhaps indicating a global calming effect. The general lack of significant differences suggests that further studies may be necessary to determine exactly which symptoms of ASD respond to animal-assisted interventions, and also to determine optimal treatment dosage and frequency. We contend that the design of animal-assisted intervention may be critical in producing previously reported benefits.","PeriodicalId":90845,"journal":{"name":"Human-animal interaction bulletin","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"91062305","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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