Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy

Foundations and Guidelines for Animal-Assisted Interventions

Aubrey H Fine, Aubrey H. Fine

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9780128189245
• Edition: 5
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Clinical Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy: Foundations and Guidelines for Animal-Assisted Interventions, Fifth Edition highlights advances in the field, with seven new chapters and revisions to over 75% of the material. This book will help therapists discover the benefits of incorporating animal assisted therapy into their practice, how to design and implement animal assisted interventions, and the efficacy of animal assisted therapy with different disorders and patient populations. Coverage includes the use of AAT with children, families and the elderly, in counseling and psychotherapy settings, and for treating a variety of specific disorders.

• Contains seven new chapters in addition to 75% new or revised material
• Includes guidelines and best practices for using animals as therapeutic companions
• Addresses specific types of patients and environmental situations
• Includes AAI working with cats, dogs, birds, and horses
• Discusses why animals are used in therapy, as well as how

Section III

Best Practices in Animal-Assisted Therapy: Guidelines for Use of AAT With Special Populations

Outline

Chapter 14. Incorporating Animal-Assisted Interventions Into Psychotherapy Guidelines and Suggestions for Therapists

Chapter 15. Application of Animal-Assisted Interventions in Professional Mental Health Settings: An Overview of Practice Considerations

Chapter 16. Animals in the Lives of Children

Chapter 17. Animals in Educational Settings: Research and Practice

Chapter 18. The Roles of Animals for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Chapter 19. Animal Assisted Interventions for Children With Disorders of Executive Function: The Influence of Humane Education and Character Development on the P.A.C.K. Model

Chapter 20. Human–Animal Interaction in the Aging Boom

Chapter 21. Animal-Assisted Interventions in Hospitals

Chapter 22. Animal-Assisted Activities in Colleges and Universities: An Efficient Model for Reducing Student Stress

Chapter 23. Understanding the Role of Human–Animal Interaction in the Family Context

Chapter 24. Treating Human Trauma With the Help of Animals: Trauma-Informed Intervention for Child Maltreatment and Adult Posttraumatic Stress

Chapter 25. Animal-Assisted Occupational Therapy: Guidelines for Standards, Theory, and Practice

Chapter 26. Developing Community-Based AAI Programs: Supporting PAWS on the Ground

Chapter 14

Incorporating Animal-Assisted Interventions Into Psychotherapy Guidelines and Suggestions for Therapists

Aubrey H. Fine Department of Education, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, United States

Abstract

The objective of this chapter is to provide the reader with practical insight into how animals may be incorporated into a therapeutic practice. Within this context, the author will also provide suggested guidelines to ensure quality control for both the client and the animal's safety. Case studies will be incorporated to illustrate how the interventions can be applied logically.

Keywords

Animal-assisted interventions; Developmental goals and treatment; Liability; Psychotherapy; Social lubricant; Therapeutic environment; Training; Transference

1. 14.1 Introduction
2. 14.2 The Need for Research
   1. 14.2.1 Objective of the Chapter
3. 14.3 The Role of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Psychotherapy: Is There Such a Thing as an Animal-Assisted Therapy Prescription?
4. 14.4 Consideration 1—Why Clinicians May Find Animals Therapeutically Beneficial
   1. 14.4.1 Animals as a Social Lubricant for Therapy
   2. 14.4.2 Benefits of Animals as an Extension to a Therapist: A Method for Rapport Building
   3. 14.4.3 Therapeutic Benefit of Animals in Therapy: Catalyst for Emotion, Engagement, and Motivation
   4. 14.4.4 Animals Acting as Adjuncts to Clinicians
   5. 14.4.5 The Use of the Relationship With Animals Vicariously—Role Modeling
5. 14.5 Consideration 2—The Therapeutic Environment: Animals as an Aspect of Milieu Therapy
6. 14.6 Consideration 3—Incorporating Theory Into Practice: Animal-Assisted Therapy From a Life Stage Perspective
   1. 14.6.1 Suggested Developmental Goals and Treatment Purposes for Children
   2. 14.6.2 Suggested Developmental Goals and Treatment Purposes for Adolescence
   3. 14.6.3 Suggested Developmental Goals and Treatment Purposes for Adults
   4. 14.6.4 Suggested Developmental Goals and Treatment Purposes for the Adults
7. 14.7 Practical Suggestions for Clinicians Applying Animals
   1. 14.7.1 Training and Liability
   2. 14.7.2 Precautions for the Clients
   3. 14.7.3 Retirement and Death of a Therapy Animal
   4. 14.7.4 Additional Concerns
8. 14.8 Future Directions
9. 14.9 Conclusions
10. References
11. Further Reading

14.1. Introduction

Aaron came to his social skills group early each week so he could get Sasha’s undivided attention. “Can I bring in the cage and hold Sasha for a while? She is so cute!” bellowed Aaron as I entered the building. “Sure, why not?” I replied. What he did not realize is that my eyes never left him as he carried in my small gerbil, sat down in the classroom, and let her out of the cage. Here is a 10-year-old child diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), sitting, giggling, and smiling as Sasha crawls over his legs. So as not to frighten her, he sits calmly, something that is hard for him to do. He eventually begins to stroke her and tells her how beautiful she is. “You are a sweetheart, Sasha. I love you,” he whispers, with a proud smile.

At these times, Aaron acts like a different child. Around Sasha he slows down, and she has a calming effect on him. Her nature seems to transform him. Perhaps it is her size. He does not want to overpower her, so he moves slowly and talks gently to her. She reciprocates by snuggling and allowing his tender touch. Over the course of the program, I often brought Sasha to Aaron so that he could learn to gauge his own activity level and perhaps be in more control (Fine & Eisen, 2016, p. 7).

This case study occurred close to 45 years ago. Sasha eventually was to become my first animal-assisted intervention (AAI) animal. Those preliminary observations helped develop my early understanding of the value of AAI and have led to my using a wide variety of therapy animals in clinical work. In particular, I began to appreciate how the integration of an animal into therapy promoted a more nurturing and safer environment for clients.

As has been articulated throughout this book, the value of the human–animal bond has been seriously investigated over many decades, and now science is catching up in documenting its efficacy. Furthermore, popular culture reflects the bond between humans and animals, as seen in the press and the film industry. Most recently, various pop culture films have portrayed the importance of the human–animal bond as well as its impact. It seems a logical next step that mental health professionals try to incorporate the human–animal bond connections into their practices when applicable. As Bern Williams stated, “There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.”

14.2. The Need for Research

Throughout this volume (and the previous four editions), there have been and continue to be consistent notations that more research is needed to promote the efficacy of AAI. Despite positive anecdotal examples, the reader needs to recognize that there is limited empirical support and research validating the overall effectiveness of AAI (Fine, 2003, 2008; McCulloch, 1984, pp. 387–398; Serpell, 1983). In a widely respected article, Voelker (1995) noted that the biggest challenge facing advocates of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) can be summed up in two words: “Prove it” (p. 1898). Voelker (1995) stressed that major difficulties in obtaining outcome data in AAT are that many professionals applying these strategies do not see the need to conduct outcome research or possibly do not take the time to validate outcomes. As noted in Chapter 3, there is growing interest in research to practice outcome studies that may bridge the current void facing the field.

Like many other researchers, Herzog (2011) points out that the literature continues to be plagued by more anecdotal comments than genuine empirical support. Since 1994, several metaanalyses have been published, all indicating similar findings. For example, in their metaanalysis, Nimer and Lundahl (2007) concluded that there is a strong need for more carefully designed research studies identifying best practice protocols, as well as studies explaining mechanisms that facilitate changes in behavior. This lack of documentation and thorough investigation continues to plague the acceptance of AAI, especially to policy makers who are more concerned about evidence-based forms of psychotherapy. However, clinicians persevere and continue to incorporate various forms of AAI primarily based on qualitative impressions that they have experienced, witnessed, or heard. Yet, McCune et al. (2014) and Lopez-Cepero Borrego et al. (2014) seem to believe that the future shows promise that there will be more controlled studies investigated by competent researchers (as a consequence of more funding opportunities) that will remedy this challenge. Some of this research should also attempt to identify the underlying mechanisms of AAI that produce therapeutic changes so that the best practice procedures can be implemented (Barak, Savorai, Mavashev, & Beni, 2001).

Chapter 29 argues that a need remains to improve the quality of AAI research to strengthen conclusions that can be made about the effectiveness of treatment. He points out that some believe that we have made great strides in research endeavors over the few decades, whereas others such as Crossman (2017) continue to stress that evidence for advocating for the efficacy for AAI is exceeded by the actual evidence. Kazdin (2018, p. 53), as well as 32 other influential psychologists were interviewed in the APA Monitor on Psychology about what they believed were critical questions that the discipline must answer next. Kazdin provided a few answers focusing on the grand challenges of psychology. One of these challenges, he noted, included “the science of science approach that utilized quantitative techniques to understand the structure” of the field of psychology and related fields. He believed that the goal should be to use thi...