Annotated Bibliography

 TOPIC: ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY

 Research question:  Does animal-assisted therapy reduce anxiety, stress, and depression?

 Thesis:  animals have a special role in the health care setting as they reduce psychological distress and improve mental health through the animal-human bond to patients with emotional hardships such as depression and anxiety. 

Beetz, A. M. (2017). Theories and possible processes of action in animal assisted

Interventions. Applied Developmental Science, 21(2), 139–149. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2016.1262263

This article is very helpful as it uses a theoretical framework that describes the biological, and psychological processes that influence the positive effects of animal-assisted therapy (AAT).  Beetz (2017) argue that animals enhance cognitive and emotional learning in people with emotional disorders, sensory disabilities, and other mental disabilities. However, there is no a theoretical framework that helps to understand the AAT interventions or rather the several processes that are involved in the AAT. In the research, the author focuses on theories such as biophilia, anthropomorphism, motivation theory, neurobiological theory, attachment theory, and others. I will use this article in my research to discuss the theories and processes, and the mechanism in which animals help individuals solve mental challenges and promote well-being.  Even though the article offers a framework that helps understand the processes in which the goal of animal-assisted therapy is achieved, there is a limitation since there is no empirical evidence. The article only presents theories and concepts but it lacks scientific evidence from direct and indirect observation. The author suggests that in future, it is important to use both theories and empirical research to confirm the viability. The source is related  to other sources as it discusses the topic on AAT using a theoretical framework to help the mental health practitioner, children and parents understand the mechanism in which animal provide support.

 

Engelman, S. R. (2013). Palliative Care and Use of Animal-Assisted Therapy. Omega:

Journal of Death & Dying, 67(1/2), 63–67. https://doi.org/10.2190/OM.67.1-2.g

Engelman (2013) review animal-assisted therapy in palliative care and asserts that today, research and clinical reports are supporting the use of animal-assisted therapy in medical settings but there is limited research on the effect of AAT in palliative care settings.  Therefore, the purpose of this article is to study whether AAT has benefits to patients of all ages who are in palliative care.  In conducting the study,  the article observes  a small  dog offering therapeutic supports to palliative care patients in both in-patient and out-patient settings.  The results show that animal-assisted therapy reduces pain. However, this article has a limitation in that there were no empirical measures but the evidence was derived from phenomenological experiences and staff observations. Thus, it is important to use experimentation, empirical research, and clinical documentation to gain empirical evidence rather than relying on anecdotal evidence as it is associated with potential weaknesses. I will use this source in my research to show that animal-assisted therapy is used in many areas in the clinical setting including the palliative care setting. This article supports other articles by showing that AAT is a trans-disciplinary intervention that serves many roles in clinical settings.

 

Hartwig, E. K., & Smelser, Q. K. (2018). Practitioner Perspectives on Animal-Assisted

Counseling. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 40(1), 43–57. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.40.1.04

In this article, Hartwig & Smelser (2018) review the topic on animal-assisted therapy and state that there is a progression in the field counseling but, there is limited research concerning the practice and experiences needed by mental health practitioners for them to effectively provide the clients with animal-assisted counseling (CAA). The authors conducted research to explore the mental health practitioners' perceptions of animal-assisted counseling in clinical settings. The participants in the study were the mental health practitioners and the study used a researcher-developed survey. The participants reported that clients aged 4 to 66 years who suffer from abuse, depression, and grief would benefit from CAA. The main limitation in the study is the diversity of the sample. The study used respondents with different level of education from a different field. In the future, it is important to use respondents with the same level of education, and the same field of study and allow them to offer different perspectives. In conducting the research, I will use this source and it will play a significant role since it will help in introducing the animal-assisted therapy topic and how the health care professional perceive it.  This source relates to other sources as it shows the positive perspectives the mental health practitioners regarding the topic.

 

 

Jones, M. G., Rice, S. M., & Cotton, S. M. (2019). Incorporating animal-assisted therapy in

mental health treatments for adolescents: A systematic review of canine assisted

psychotherapy. PLoS ONE, 14(1), 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210761

In this article, Jones, Rice & Cotton (2019) explores the issue of youth mental health to investigate the effects of animal-assisted therapy in adolescents aged 10-19 with the mental   disorder.  Their research focus on canine assisted psychotherapy since a number of studies report  that children and young people with interpersonal and functional problems such as ASD and ADHD reduced symptomatology,  PTSD symptoms,  avoidance and dissociation, distress and depression,  and other negative symptoms while they received both inpatient and outpatient services in a hospital. These studies also add that the presence of canines helped the patients reduce symptomatology, they also improve the therapeutic processes, improves the patients' well-being, interpersonal socialization and functioning. The article uses a database search to examine the goal of Canine assisted therapy, the interventions, and the role of the facilitators, the therapeutic process and on how CAP helps adolescents with mental issues. In conducting the research, I will include this source to discuss the use of animal-assisted therapy and in specific the canine in adolescents’ mental health treatment. The article relates with other sources in that it addresses the topic of AAT in the area of adolescents whereas the other sources address other related areas.

 

Le Roux, M. C., & Kemp, R. (2009). Effect of a companion dog on depression and anxiety levels of elderly residents in a long-term care facility. Psychogeriatrics, 9(1), 23–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-8301.2009.00268.x

Roux & Kemp (2009) review the effect of a companion dog on senior or elderly people with depression and anxiety who live in the assisted living facilities. The authors state that the elderly in the nursing home experience loneliness which leads to depression and anxiety. The purpose of this article is to investigate whether animal-assisted therapy reduces loneliness, depression, and anxiety in the elderly who are in long-term care. In conducting the study, the author set a larger project in a long-term facility and recruited participants who were 65 years and above who suffered from depression, and anxiety. The participants interacted with the dog for 30 minutes once a week in a period of six weeks. The results showed that elderly reduced depression, anxiety, increased social interaction and created pleasant memories. The major limitation of the study is that small groups were used and they reported non-significant anxiety and depression scores. In future, it is important to use large groups and involve both dog owners and non-dog owners to produce positive qualitative results. I will use this source in my search to discuss the effect of animal-assisted therapy in an elderly care facility. This source supports other sources by exploring the effectiveness of AAT in the elderly with depression.

 

Silva, N. B., & Osório, F. L. (2018). Impact of an animal-assisted therapy programme on

physiological and psychosocial variables of paediatric oncology patients. PLoS

ONE, 13(4), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194731

 In this article, Silva & Osoria supports animal-assisted therapy and suggest an animal-assisted therapy programme that would help mental health practitioners employ safety helping children who need oncological treatment. Animal-assisted therapy is widely used by mental health practitioners in the clinical setting to establish a human-animal bond and promote human health.  In this article, the researchers focus on assessing 24 children who were at oncology hospital and who were diagnosed with a solid tumor, and lymphoid leukemia. These children had depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety, mental confusion, and tension. The main purpose of the study was to implement the AAT programme and care protocols in children undergoing treatment.   I will use this source in my research not only to discuss the effect of ATT in children undergoing oncological treatment but also to discuss a specific protocol and animal-assisted interventions that the technician team should follow. This source is related to other sources as it addresses the issue of ATT but in the area of children undergoing oncological treatment and are experiencing mental problems. The main limitation of the article is that there is no control group, it uses a small sample and there was insufficient follow-up period. The authors suggest that in the future, it is important to conduct more studied to come up with robust evidence.

 

Zafra-Tanaka, J. H., Pacheco-Barrios, K., Tellez, W. A., & Taype-Rondan, A. (2019).

Effects of dog-assisted therapy in adults with dementia: a systematic review and

meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-2009-z

Zafra-Tanaka et al (2019) review the effects of animal-assisted therapy in patients with dementia.  The authors use a systematic review or in other words, they perform a systematic search published in March 2018 to find the evidence on the effect of Dog-assisted therapy in adults with dementia. In the article, the authors offer a counter-argument from the randomized controlled trials. Various studies and researches have confirmed that Dog-assisted therapies (DAT) are effective in treating psychiatric interactive activities. To prove the effectiveness, the authors used a systematic framework and included controlled studies that used randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental. They found that there was a potential beneficial effect of Dog-assisted therapy in depression.  The main limitation of this study is that the meta-analysis provided insufficient details since the studies had a small sample size and bias.  The authors suggest that in the future, it is important to use more randomized controlled trials to minimize the bias, compare both benefits and risks and provide competing evidence. In conducting my research, this article will not be the basis of my research but it will serve a significant argument against the use of animal-assisted therapy in a clinical setting. As other articles support the use of AAT, this source will offer a counter argument and help understand the topic in a deeper way.

 

 

Zilcha-Mano, S., Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2011). Pet in the therapy room: An

attachment perspective on Animal-Assisted Therapy. Attachment & Human

Development, 13(6), 541–561. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616734.2011.608987

Zilcha-Mano, Mikulincer & Shaver (2011) review the animal-assisted therapy using a theoretical approach of attachment theory that explains the unique role of a pet in the therapy room.  They state that pet is unique attachment figures and they play attachment functions in therapeutic settings. The author conducts a literature review and empirical findings to support the attachment theory. For example, other studies and researches affirm that human-animal interaction is more rewarding than interpersonal relationships since pets are safe, give unconditional love, and create interpersonal attachments. Empirical findings also support that   human beings find attachment relationship from pet, they find support and comfort, they feel emotionally close and they enjoy the closeness. However, the authors are not contented with these personal impressions and non-experimental designs which give inconclusive findings but they apply the attachment theory to show that pet acts as attachment figures during therapy sessions.  They focus on providing systematic research to show the mechanism in which pets offer psychological functions during therapy sessions. I will use this article in my research to apply the attachment theory to show how pets offer a security-enhancing attachment and safety-enhancing attachment in therapeutic settings. This source is related with other sources in that it supports the use of animal-assisted therapy and the role of pets in creating attachment between the client and therapists. However, the article has a limitation in that it uses theatrical literature and lacks empirical evidence. The author suggests that in the future, it is important to use empirical evidence to support the attachment-related mechanism.