Mental health practitioners who incorporate animal-assisted interventions into clinical practice harness the human-animal bond for therapeutic benefit. According to the Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling Competencies, practitioners have a duty to understand the complex relational processes within animal-assisted interventions in counseling (AAI-C). These bonding processes may resemble that of an attachment bond in which the client desires to maintain closeness to the practitioner and therapy animal as a result of feeling safe and secure. Researchers studying attachment in the human-animal bond have stated that attachment processes may occur within other human-animal relationships, such as between a guardian and a companion animal. However, there is no empirical research on the attachment processes occurring between humans and therapy animals in AAI-C or how these processes affect the bond between the practitioner and client. A component of the working alliance, maintaining a quality bond can improve treatment outcomes in counseling. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how attachment to a therapy animal impacts the attachment bond between a mental health practitioner and client. Participants completed an online survey with four measures to study the following: (a) client attachment to the therapy animal, (b) practitioner attachment to the therapy animal, (c) the bond between the practitioner and client, and (d) the impact of utilizing an animal in counseling sessions. Data analyses included a multiple regression to determine how practitioners' perceptions of the attachment processes within AAI-C best explain the bond with their clients. Descriptive analysis revealed that practitioners perceived high quality bonding within AAI-C, particularly in their own attachment to the therapy animal. Results of the multiple regression indicated practitioners' attachment to the therapy animal was a significant predictor of the working alliance and bond between the practitioner and client. Practitioners who perceived themselves as extremely skilled in working with the clients' presenting issue also had a statistically significant effect on the working alliance and bond when compared to practitioners who felt less skilled. Implications for practitioners and counselor educators are provided. Limitations and areas of future research are also discussed. / Doctor of Philosophy / Mental health practitioners who incorporate animal-assisted interventions into clinical practice harness the human-animal bond for therapeutic benefit. According to the Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling Competencies, practitioners have a duty to understand the complex relational processes within animal-assisted interventions in counseling (AAI-C). These bonding processes may resemble that of an attachment bond in which the client desires to maintain closeness to the practitioner and therapy animal as a result of feeling safe and secure. Researchers studying attachment in the human-animal bond have stated that attachment processes may occur within other human-animal relationships, such as between a guardian and a companion animal. However, there is no practical research on the attachment processes occurring between humans and therapy animals in AAI-C or how these processes affect the bond between the practitioner and client. A component of the working alliance, maintaining a quality bond, can improve treatment outcomes in counseling. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine how attachment to a therapy animal impacts the attachment bond between a mental health practitioner and client. Participants completed an online survey with four measures to study the following: (a) client attachment to the therapy animal, (b) practitioner attachment to the therapy animal, (c) the bond between the practitioner and client, and (d) the impact of utilizing an animal in counseling sessions. Data analyses included a multiple regression to determine how practitioners’ perceptions of the attachment processes within AAI-C best explain the bond with their clients. Descriptive statistics revealed that practitioners perceived high quality bonding within AAI-C, particularly in their own attachment to the therapy animal. Results of the multiple regression indicated practitioners’ attachment to the therapy animal influenced the working alliance and bond between the practitioner and client. Practitioners who perceived themselves as extremely skilled in working with the clients’ presenting issue also had an effect on the working alliance and bond when compared to practitioners who felt less skilled. Implications for practitioners and counselor educators are provided. Limitations and areas of future research are also discussed.

<p>I Sverige finns drygt en miljon hundar, vilket ger siffran en hund i vart femte hushåll. Främsta syftet med föreliggande studie är att se vad som är den positivt verksamma kärnan i umgänget mellan människa och hund, utifrån vad hundägare subjektivt berättar. Enligt Grounded Theory analyserades sex djupintervjuer. Resultaten visar framförallt en Personlig vinst för den enskilde hundägaren i umgänget med sin hund. Den Personliga vinsten består av de sex delvinsterna Säkerhet, Kamratskap, Kunskap, Aktivitet, Socialt och Hälsa. En slutsats är att hunden påverkar hundägaren på ett positivt sätt, eftersom den ger en personlig vinst i form av tillfredsställelse av många av människans grundläggande behov.</p>

Knowledge of the deeper meanings of attachment to companion animals is limited, particularly in terms of older adults. This study employed a modified grounded theory method, a phenomenological lens and a life course perspective to gather and analyze data garnered from individual interviews and panel discussions in order to investigate the multiple dimensions of older adult men’s relationships with their companion animal dogs. Individual audio-recorded in-depth interviews and repeated panel discussions with a sub-group of the participants, convened as a panel over a three-month period, explored behavioral and emotional manifestations of attachment and the emotional bond to their companion animal dogs and the changing nature of that attachment and bond over their life span. Analysis involved open, axial and selective coding of transcripts to reveal underlying patterns within the data. Outcomes included movement toward a theory of companion animal attachment for older adult men as well as insight into the role of dogs in development of older adult men’s identities. This dissertation offers insight into the deeper understanding of the human-animal bond resulting in enhancing quality of life for both older adult male pet owners and their companion animal dogs.

I Sverige finns drygt en miljon hundar, vilket ger siffran en hund i vart femte hushåll. Främsta syftet med föreliggande studie är att se vad som är den positivt verksamma kärnan i umgänget mellan människa och hund, utifrån vad hundägare subjektivt berättar. Enligt Grounded Theory analyserades sex djupintervjuer. Resultaten visar framförallt en Personlig vinst för den enskilde hundägaren i umgänget med sin hund. Den Personliga vinsten består av de sex delvinsterna Säkerhet, Kamratskap, Kunskap, Aktivitet, Socialt och Hälsa. En slutsats är att hunden påverkar hundägaren på ett positivt sätt, eftersom den ger en personlig vinst i form av tillfredsställelse av många av människans grundläggande behov.

Humans and dogs have lived among each other in mutually beneficial relationships for thousands of years. In recent years, this human-animal bond has emerged as a catalyst for animal-assisted activities and therapies that may benefit those with disabilities, including children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). ASD are characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction and communication and restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. The nonverbal and nonjudgmental nature of dogs may be non-threatening and easier for children with ASD to decode, which may decrease anxiety and facilitate social bonding. Further, with their roles as social lubricants/transitional objects and natural foci of interest, dogs may facilitate social interaction between children with ASD and other people. Using a single case, multiple baseline design across participants, this study investigated whether multiple semi-structured interactions with dogs would increase social and communicative behaviors and decrease restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior in children. Although only two had statistically significant results, all three participants showed responses to intervention in the hypothesized directions. This study supports the position that children with ASD may benefit from participating in animal-assisted activities with dogs.

No description available.

A large percentage of Americans own pets which may impact their health. This study examines pet ownership’s effect on well being in older adults looking at race/ethnicity. A sample of 6,565 older adults (>60) was selected from the Third National Health and Nutrition Survey. Pet owners comprised 28.3% of the sample. The theories of symbolic interaction and social integration were used to examine pet ownership’s effect on physical components of well-being. The descriptive results showed statistically significant differences in age, education, income, and marital status between pet owners and non-pet owners. Pet owners were younger, more educate, higher income and married. Similar results were found for Caucasians, African Americans and Mexican Americans. Logistic regression for the entire sample revealed pet owners were more likely to have a positive self perception of health, normal blood pressure, improved function, less chronic conditions, improved function and more falls. Multiple regression revealed pet owners had more hospital stays, but fewer physician visits and nursing home stays than non-pet owners. When examined by race/ethnicity differences were found between pet owners and non-pet owners that differed from the general sample results. This research revealed that pets overall positively impact their owners’ health but it appears to differ based on race/ethnicity. Further research is needed on pet ownership’s effect on older adults specifically in regards to race.

Animal‑Assisted Intervention (AAI) is used to significantly reduce pain, lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, and help ease depression in people with a range of health problems; however, it is not readily used in the hospital setting. Research involving the Human‑Animal Bond (HAB) is well established, yet most social workers receive no special training or coursework about this topic as it applies to working with patients or consumers. This study sought to understand the beliefs about AAI among medical social workers in healthcare settings in order to gauge what knowledge and degree of exposure they may have had to AAI. Eighteen randomly selected social workers, holding MSW, ASW, LMSW or LCSW credentials, employed from 6 months to 26 years in hospital or cancer clinic settings across the United States were interviewed by phone, recorded, and their comments transcribed. Nine specific themes were identified. Fifteen of the 18 medical social workers had no formal training, workshop or class discussion during undergraduate or graduate school training. No one had any on the job training, unless they purposefully sought it out, as three did. All participants agreed that they would like to know more about AAI to incorporate into their workplace in order to better inform patients, doctors, nurses and staff about the benefits of animals as a natural healing modality.

Researchers have demonstrated clear benefits to humans in their relationships with companion animals; however, little is known about how these animals may benefit from their relationships with humans. The purpose of the current study is to investigate potential benefits to a pet of living in a household, as defined by an array of specific pet owner behaviors. A second purpose is to investigate the relationship between self-reported attachment to a pet and dimensions of potentially beneficial owner behaviors on behalf of that animal. Participants in the current study were pet-owning undergraduate students (N = 501) from a large Midwestern university who were surveyed on an array of behaviors they may perform for or with a companion animal. Self-reported attachment to the animal was measured using the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (Johnson, Garrity, & Stallones, 1992). Factor analysis resulted in five dimensions of behavior for dog owners (n = 350), named Indoor/Outdoor, Attention, Inclusion, Well-being, and Safety. Four dimensions were found for cat owners (n = 151) and named Indoor/Outdoor, Indulgence, Possessions, and Independence. The Indoor/Outdoor dimension was similar to factors found in previous research. The rest of the dimensions appear to be uniquely important in terms of either dog or cat ownership. Regression analysis using factor scores to predict attachment revealed that 38.6% of the variance in attachment scores for dog owners and 23.6% for cat owners was explained by the dimensions. The results of the factor analysis provide a picture of what human care giving might mean, in terms of beneficial behavior, to the animal. The results also indicate that the basic needs of companion animals are being met regardless of the degree of attachment: low attachment may not necessarily mean poor care. Attachment does, however, appear to make a difference in the life of a companion animal in terms of enrichment. Dog owners who report higher attachment tend to include the dog in family activities, and provide certain kinds of attentions. Cat owners who report higher attachment are more likely to have a cat that stays close by their side, and are also more likely to provide gifts and treats to the cat. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology. / "May 2005."

This thesis is comprised of three studies examining the effects of pet ownership on street-involved youth in Ontario. As a relatively new area of study, issues surrounding pet ownership among homeless youth were first explored qualitatively. The first two studies utilized a series of one-on-one interviews with both pet-owning youth and youth service professionals to determine the major roles, relationships, challenges and effects that pets have in the lives of street-involved youth. The four themes that emerged from both of these interview groups included “pet before self” where youth placed the needs of their pet ahead of their own, physical effects of pet ownership, emotional effects of pet ownership, and the benefits and liabilities of pet ownership. Findings related to these themes, such as the strength of the human-animal bond and pets as drivers of change are discussed. Information derived from the qualitative interviews with pet-owning youth and youth workers contributed to the development of a questionnaire administered to a convenience sample of 89 pet-owning street-involved youth and 100 street-involved youth who were not pet owners in four urban centres in Ontario. This study sought to validate findings from previous qualitative research, provide descriptive information on the pet-owning youth population, their pets, and their human-animal relationship, as well as assess pet attachment based on the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale. Additionally, pet owners and non-pet owners were compared in terms of depression based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, shelter use and drug use. The findings include a universally high level of pet attachment among this unique pet owning population, providing opportunity for youth to experience not only beneficial emotional and social support, but also the negative emotional consequences of pet loss. Pet ownership was also demonstrated to be significantly and negatively correlated with regular shelter use. Through logistic modelling and controlling for participant gender and regular drug use (of drugs other than cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana), pet ownership was found to be negatively associated with depression. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, this thesis provides evidence of the beneficial as well as the potential negative impacts of pet ownership for street-involved youth. It also provides the first quantitative description of this population and their human-animal relationship, while demonstrating support for further research into the effects of pet ownership on street-involved youth, and consideration for expanded education and service provision to support youth and their pets among youth services. / Anonymous, Ontario Veterinary College Deans Office