Bakgrund: Det är varje människas rättighet att uppnå bästa möjliga hälsa och äldreomsorgen ska vara inriktad på att de äldre känner välbefinnande och lever ett värdigt liv. Djur har visats ha positiv inverkan i flera bemärkelser och människor är i allmänhet öppna för djurterapi som behandlingsform. För att kunna bedriva personcentrerad vård är det av vikt att som sjuksköterska vara lyhörd för patientens önskemål så att dennes unika behov kan tillgodoses. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturstudien var att belysa äldre patienters erfarenheter av djur som en del av omvårdnaden. Metod: Litteraturstudien genomfördes med induktiv ansats. Resultat: Studien bygger på tio vetenskapliga artiklar som i resultatet speglar äldre patienters erfarenheter av djurterapi på ett socialt, mentalt och fysiskt plan. Resultatet tyder på övervägande positiva erfarenheter där det bland annat beskrivs ökad livskvalitet, mindre ensamhet och motivation till fysisk aktivitet under rubrikerna Utökad social interaktion, Ökat välbefinnande och Positiva fysiologiska effekter. Konklusion: I studien framkom att ytterligare forskning krävs men att den upplevda erfarenheten är positiv, vilket bör motivera för att i större utsträckning nyttja denna terapiform i framtiden. / Background: It is a human right to achieve the best health possible and the elderly care must be focused on the well-being of the elderly and that they have a dignified life. Animals have been shown to have a positive impact in several regards and people are generally open to animal therapy as a form of treatment. In order to be able to perform person-centered care, it is important as a nurse to be sensitive to the patient's wishes so that his or her unique needs are met. Aim: The aim of the literature study was to illustrate older patient's experiences of animals as a part of nursing. Method: The literature study was conducted with an inductive approach. Results: The study is based on ten scientific articles and the results reflects older patient's experiences of animal therapy on a social, mental and physical aspect. The results indicate several positive experiences where increased quality of life, less loneliness and motivation for physical activity amongst other are described under the headings Increased social interaction, Increased well-being and Positive physiological effects. Conclusion: The study showed that further research is required but also that the experience has been positive, which should motivate to use this form of therapy to a greater extent in the future.

Hundassisterad pedagogik (HAP) är en metod där hund används som verktyg i skolverksamhet och användandet av hundar i skolmiljö ses som ett pedagogiskt och hälsofrämjande verktyg. Syftet med studien är att uppmärksamma vad och hur de yrkesverksamma inom HAP anser att metoden kan gynna eleverna. Studien belyser också vilka svårigheter, hinder och möjligheter det finns med metoden. Resultatet grundar sig i en kvalitativ intervjustudie där författarna av studien har intervjuat sju yrkesverksamma inom HAP. Det framkommer i studien att de yrkesverksamma kan se flera olika positiva och gynnsamma aspekter med metoden hos eleverna, bland annat pedagogisk utveckling och förbättrat psykiskt mående. Huvudresultaten är att HAP som metod framför allt gynnar barn med diagnoser och läs-och skrivsvårigheter och att HAP kan bidra till att hemmasittare återgår till skolan.

The connection between human and nature is fading away as society gets more modernised, with increased stress-levels as a result. Interventions based on green care have proven to give stress-reducing effects for a variety of client-groups. Using a qualitative literature study approach, the aim with this paper was to investigate how occupational therapists work within the green care area and what effects such interventions could have. The literature-search was carried out both manually and within databases. Fifteen papers were found that fulfilled the criteria for inclusion and were used for analysis. The data-analysis resulted in four categories; “Activity as goal and means”, “Investigation, evaluation and collaboration”, “Decreasing stress and increasing wellbeing” and “Sense of fellowship and belonging”. Concluding results show that occupational therapists administrates and leads programs within green care. Furthermore, the most pronounced effects were decreased stress and improved well-being. Implementing green care within occupational therapist operations has advantages and can be a valuable therapeutic tool.

It has already been established that animals have various constitutional effects on humans and influence quality of life and well-being in various ways (see Nestmann 2005). For a lot of people in all stages of their life, pets are important sources of support. They are able to contribute to our health as well as to buffer stress and illness. Especially elderly and frail people take profit from the human animal bond. Pets may be seen as important agents in support and therapy of people with dementia. Besides offering emotional support in times of struggle and loneliness, pets can even have a healing influence in situations of physical or mental illness. Since the 1960s animals have been used in professional and therapeutic settings. Even retirement and nursing homes experience the psychosocial benefits of animal assisted activities and integrate animals successfully in the daily routine of the residents. The longitudinal field study “Animals at the Johanniter-Stift Nursing Home” is the first to investigate the effects of animal assisted activities on the quality of life and well-being of elderly nursing home patients with dementia. In order to systematically establish the extent to which various forms of regular contact with animals can benefit such patients, psychological and social changes in patients with and without contact to animals were examined at three intervals over a three-year period, using research instruments such as non-participant observation (MTU), questionnaires completed by nursing staff (FSAK; NPI) as well as interviews with the nursing staff to examine the human-animal-contacts between the residents and the animals in the daily routine. The study demonstrates that elderly dementia sufferers with regular contact to animals tend to show greater agility, independence, strength of social network and communication abilities compared to those without contact to animals. The study shows the psychosocial effects and the options of animal assisted activities with and care of elderly people suffering from dementia as an alternative to pharmacological treatment.

Psychiatry is in a crisis. Mental health disorders are on the rise worldwide and there are currently not enough efficient treatment methods that would meet the patients’ needs. Hence, the societal and economic costs of mental health problems are enormous, as well as the suffering of individuals afflicted by mental health problems. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin are substances that create an altered state of consciousness characterized by altered sensory perception and on some occasions, ego-dissolution, and mystical experiences. In recent studies, LSD and psilocybin have been shown to carry significant therapeutic potential in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders in conjunction with psychotherapy. The therapeutic effects of LSD and psilocybin have also been shown to persist for between 3-12 months post-treatment. LSD and psilocybin, like other classical hallucinogens, increase serotonin availability, which has been suggested to attenuate symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, LSD and psilocybin alter the activity of the default mode network, which has been suggested to be overly active in depressed and anxious patients. This essay is a literature review of the neural mechanisms of LSD and psilocybin, their potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders, and how insights about said neural mechanisms may be useful in understanding the possible application of psychedelics in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders. In sum, recent studies have provided converging and convincing evidence on therapeutic potential of LSD and psilocybin. Yet, few conclusions on the exact neural mechanisms of how LSD and psilocybin alleviate depressive and anxiety symptoms can be made. Although the future of this research field looks promising, archaic national- and international regulations continue to be a hindrance to research into psychedelic drugs. Yet, due to the psychiatric crisis and the promising results so far, more studies in this field are warranted.

Bakgrund: Vid demenssjukdom medföljer ofta symtom som försämrat minne och kognitiva funktioner samt olika beteendemässiga och psykiska problem (BPSD). Dessa symtom kan påverka de drabbade personernas i form av försämrad livskvalité och svårigheter att utföra aktiviteter i dagliga livet (ADL). Genom olika strategier, anpassa miljön och genom att interagera djurterapi med arbetsterapi kan arbetsterapeuter hjälpa och stötta personer med demenssjukdom.  Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva hur djurterapi påverkar äldre personer med demenssjukdom avseende deras ADL, livskvalité och BPSD. Metod: Systematisk litteraturstudie. Där nio artiklar inkluderades från databaserna psycINFO och Scopus. Artiklarnas innehåll kvalitetsgranskades genom dataextraktion och McMasters mall för kvantitativa studier. Bedömning av tillförlitligheten på utfallsmåtten granskades enligt GRADE evidensgradering.  Resultat: Resultatet visade på indikationer för att djurterapi kan förbättra ADL, livskvalité och BPSD för personer med demenssjukdom, flest signifikanta resultat uppmättes inom utfallsmåttet BPSD. Evidensgradering av utfallsmåtten visade på otillräckligt evidensvärde för ADL och BPSD-depression och begränsat evidensvärde för livskvalité och BPSD-aggression. Slutsats: Resultatet i föreliggande systematiska litteraturstudie indikerar att djurterapi kan förbättra ADL, livskvalité och BPSD för personer med demenssjukdom, men evidensen för resultatet är låg. / Background: Dementia is often accompanied by symptoms such as impaired memory, cognitive functions, and various behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD). These symptoms can afflict the persons in the form of impaired quality of life (QOL) and difficulties in performing activities of daily living (ADL). Through strategies, adjust the environment and by interacting animal therapy with occupational therapy, occupational therapists can help and support people with dementia.  Aim: To describe how animal therapy affects older people with dementia regarding their ADL, QOL and BPSD.  Method: Systematic literature study. Nine articles were included from the databases PsycINFO and Scopus. The content was quality reviewed through data extraction and McMaster's template for quantitative studies. Assessment of the reliability of the outcome was examined according to the GRADE evidence rating.  Results: The results showed indications that animal therapy can improve ADL, QOL and BPSD for people with dementia, the most significant results were measured within BPSD. The evidence grading showed insufficient evidence value for ADL and BPSD-depression and limited evidence value for the QOL and BPSD-aggression.  Conclusion: The results of this systematic literature study indicate that animal therapy can improve ADL, QOL and BPSD for people with dementia, but the evidence for the results is low

Bakgrund: Djur har sedan lång tid tillbaka integrerat med människor i både vårdande och praktiska syften. Var tredje besök i primärvården beror på psykisk ohälsa och sjuksköterskans roll är att främja patientens välbefinnande. Studier visar på att djur inte bara ger människor sällskap, utan även har en förmåga att göra en god inverkan på människor i svåra situationer. Det finns dock ännu okunskap om terapi med djur i den psykiatriska vården. Metod: En litteraturstudie med kvantitativa och kvalitativa review artiklar. Utifrån ett patientperspektiv. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att belysa patienters erfarenheter av djurterapi vid psykisk ohälsa. Resultat: De analyserade resultaten utgick från sex review artiklar. I analysen av erfarenheter som patienterna upplevt av djurterapi framkom tre olika teman: sociala och emotionella förbättringar, förbättringar i vardagen, samt symtomlindring och distraktion. Konklusion: Litteraturstudiens syfte var att belysa patienters erfarenheter av djurterapi vid psykisk ohälsa. Sammanfattningsvis kan resultatet från denna studie dra slutsatsen att djurterapi generellt upplevs som en positiv erfarenhet och kan vara ett bra verktyg för sjuksköterskor vid arbeten med psykisk ohälsa hos patienter. / Background: For a long time, animals have been integrated with humans for both caring and practical purposes. Every third visit to primary care is due to mental illness and the nurse's role is to promote the patient's well-being. Studies show that animals not only keep people company but also have the ability to make a good impact on people in difficult situations. But still, there is ignorance about therapy with animals in mental health care. Method: A literature study with quantitative and qualitative review articles. From a patient perspective. Aim: The purpose of the study is to shine a light on patients' experiences of animal therapy in mental illness. Findings: The analyzed results were based on six review articles. In the analysis of experiences that patients experienced from animal therapy, three different themes emerged: social and emotional improvements, improvements in everyday life, as well as symptom relief and distraction. Conclusion: The purpose of the literature study was to shed light on patients' experiences of animal therapy in mental illness. In summary, the results from this study can conclude that animal therapy is generally perceived as a positive experience and can be a good tool for nurses when working with mental illness in patients.

The effectiveness of a pre-graduation animal assisted therapy internship site was investigated through an ethnographic, phenomenological methodology with mixed-methods components. A total of 12 participants who fit into either the category of supervisor, intern, or administrator involved in the animal assisted therapy practice, were interviewed. A research team analyzed the qualitative interview data and researcher participant field notes and came to a consensus of eight major themes: ranch environment, ranch modalities, community impact, counselor development, relationships, partnership, sense of purpose, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Past historical client data were analyzed (n = 47) to investigate effectiveness of the AAT internship cite through the lens of the clients. Historical client data was divided into three categories, dependent on the client's age and the assessment taken: Adult Self Report (ASR), Youth Self Report (YSR), and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). A paired t-test was run for each assessment group to compare the means of the pre-assessment scores and the means of the post assessment scores for the total problems scale and anxiety problems scale. There was a statistically significant decrease in anxiety problems for the CBCL group. There was a marginally statistically significant decrease in total problems for the CBCL group. There were no significant results found for the YSR or ASR data. Client demographic findings and the statistically significant findings are discussed in relation to the qualitative themes. Implications for future research and counselor education are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Educational Psychology. An empirical study of limited extent was undertaken, which was qualitative by nature and conducted from an interpretivist paradigm. I made use of a therapeutic case, which served as an in-depth case study. Visual data, creative expression, interviews, narrative expression and field notes were employed as data-gathering methods. Data were analysed by means of document analysis. A young boy of 14 years, with whom I have previously worked as a therapist, was the participant in the study. The findings of the study were, firstly that the use of AAT could enable the attainment of goals in therapy. Implementing AAT as a therapeutic tool provided motivation for participation in therapy from the participant. Secondly the use of an animal (dog) in the therapeutic process promoted the formation of a personal, caring, and emotional relationship with the primary participant. Thirdly, psychological benefits in the use of AAT were revealed by this study, namely the opportunity to promote socialisation, self-esteem, communication, interaction and participation in therapy. Fourthly AAT had a value in working with a socio-economically vulnerable child, addressing several of the needs identified in order to enhance the well-being of the child. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Bakgrund: Psykisk ohälsa förekommer i alla åldrar och är ett växande problem. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) är en målinriktad, planlagd och strukturerad terapeutisk insats som leds eller utförs av personal inom hälso- och sjukvård, skola eller omsorg. Inom hälso- och sjukvården syftar AAT till att förbättra individens psykiska, fysiska, emotionella och kognitiva förmågor. Syfte: Att kartlägga effekter avseende ångest hos vuxna personer med psykisk ohälsa som genomgår Animal Assisted Therapy. Metod: Litteraturstudien baseras på åtta empiriska interventionsstudier med kvantitativ design. Databassökningar genomfördes i Cinahl, PubMed och PsycInfo. Analysprocessen genomfördes enligt Popenoes analysmodell. Resultat: Samtliga studier resulterade i en minskning avseende ångest. Sex av studierna visade en signifikant minskning inom gruppen som fått AAT och två studier visade en positiv effekt men utan signifikant skillnad. Två studier visade en signifikant skillnad mellan interventions- och kontrollgruppen.  Konklusion: Litteraturstudiens resultat visade att AAT kan reducera ångest hos individer med psykisk ohälsa och kan därför vara ett bra komplement i omvårdnaden hos denna patientgrupp. Ytterligare forskning behövs för att kartlägga hur effektivt AAT är jämfört med befintliga behandlingar. / Background: Mental illness occurs at all ages and is a growing problem. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a targeted, planned and structured therapeutic intervention led or performed by staff in health care, school or care. Animal Assisted Therapy aims in healthcare to improve the individual's mental, physical, emotional and cognitive abilities. Aim: To map the effects regarding anxiety in adults with mental illness who undergo Animal Assisted Therapy.  Methods: The literature review is based on eight empirical intervention studies with quantitative design. Database search was conducted in Cinahl, PubMed and PsycInfo. The analysis process was carried out according to Popenoe´s analysis model. Results: All studies resulted in decreased anxiety-levels. Six of the studies showed a significant difference within the group that received AAT and two studies showed a positive effect but without a significant difference. Two studies showed a significant difference between the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: The results of the literature study showed that AAT can reduce anxiety in individuals with mental illness and could therefore be a good complement to the care of this patient group. Further research is needed to map how effective AAT is compared to existing treatments.