Psychotherapy incorporating equine interaction (PIE) is emerging as an effective treatment for substance use disorder (SUD), but research is limited concerning physiological impacts during substance withdrawal. This study investigated impacts of PIE on salivary cortisol concentrations, heart rate, anxiety, and depression during SUD withdrawal. Heart rate and cortisol concentrations were measured in horses to determine potential human-horse coupling. Saliva samples and heart rates were collected pre and post PIE from residential SUD patients (n=18) and their therapy horses (n=4) during and following the withdrawal period. Participants (n=10) also completed a survey measuring anxiety and depression (P = 0.05). A strong negative correlation was found within the changes seen in human and horse cortisol concentrations during week two (r = -0.9, P < 0.01). Human heart rates decreased in week two (P = 0.01) and anxiety and depression decreased by week four (P ≤ 0.05). Results indicate psychotherapy incorporating equine interaction does not negatively impact stress parameters as the SUD patient progresses through the withdrawal period, and this intervention resulted in improved feelings of anxiety and depression.

Humans and animals have a widely varying relationship which has been studied at length. Examining our interactions with animals in negative contexts can help us further understand the factors that’s influence the nature of the human-animal relationship, particularly with our most popular companion animals. This study continues the use of a jury design, previously used in studies regarding animal abuse, to examine responses to a scenario of an altercation resulting in a dog biting a person. In this study, 243 undergraduate students read the scenario presented to them and completed a survey examining their judgements of blame and punishment for the incident. In the interest of examining the effects of different variables, participants were randomly presented with 1 of 18 potential scenarios in which the role of the human in potentially provoking the dog, the breed of the dog involved, and the degree of damage inflicted were manipulated. Results showed an avoidance toward making any judgements on the dog’s disposition, neither positively nor negatively. Additionally, some gender differences were discovered in responses related to euthanasia, blame on the owner, and the promotion of an obedience training program. Surprisingly, degree of damage did not have significant effects on responses, while dog breed differences revealed that participants placed greater blame and responsibility on owners of Pit bulls rather than the dog itself, which is potentially explained by the sample’s age demographics. The manipulation of human provocation of the incident proved to have the most significant effect of participant responses of blame and punishment, affecting perceptions of blame attributed to the dog and the victim, as well as the punishments and protections deemed appropriate. The results suggest an emphasis on human component in the perceptions of the human-animal relationship and provide insight on the variables relevant to the relationship.

The feature to “pet” animals in digital games is highly requested by players in online discourse, but there is a lack of research on its utility from a game design perspective. This thesis aims to gain a preliminary understanding of the effects of optional, sociable animal interaction to further inform game design decisions. Using a qualitative mixed methods research design, the possible impacts of sociable virtual animal interactions on the player experience are investigated. Five game-literate participants were observed during gameplay, which included an interactable virtual dog, and interviewed in-depth on their subjective experiences. The findings suggest that the interaction can be moderately beneficial to the player experience, but that it was also found lacking. The feature can offer a break from goal-oriented gameplay and improve players’ sense of agency. It may enhance the emotional value if the player feels a connection to the virtual animal. More life-like behavior and greater gameplay value might enable this connection, thereby making the interaction more desirable and beneficial to the player experience.

Bakgrund: Ungefär tio procent av Sveriges befolkning har rapporterat känslor av ensamhet. Det är ett utbrett problem, särskilt bland äldre och beskrivs öka risken för bland annat depression, suicidalitet, kardiovaskulär sjukdom samt generell mortalitet. Hundar har visat sig kunna spela en roll i erbjudandet av såväl emotionellt som socialt stöd och kan användas som resurs i vården. Sedan 1990-talet har sjuksköterskor haft befogenhet att besluta om användning av hundar som en omvårdnadsåtgärd. Trots detta saknas det ännu tydliga implementationsriktlinjer. Syfte: Att undersöka hundens påverkan på äldres hälsa i relation till ensamhet. Metod: En icke-systematisk litteraturöversikt genomfördes. Sexton vetenskapliga artiklar av hög till medelhög kvalitet, med både kvantitativ och kvalitativ ansats inkluderades. Datainsamlingen genomfördes med syftesrelevanta sökord och termer, i CINAHL, PubMed, PsychInfo och Web of Science samt kompletterades med manuella sökningar och Google Scholar. Resultat: Litteraturöversiktens resultat lyfter fram hundens påverkan på mätbar och upplevd hälsa hos både ägare och interventionsdeltagare. Fyra huvudkategorier identifierades: Social påverkan, Fysisk påverkan, Psykisk påverkan och Emotionell påverkan. Hundägande och hund-assisterade interventioner hade samband med minskad ensamhet och isolering samt främjade samhörighet och gemenskap genom att bland annat förenkla social interaktion. Hundar bidrog också till bibehållen/ökad fysisk aktivitet, minskade depressiva symtom och ångest samt ökade välbefinnande och motivation. Slutsats: Denna litteraturöversikt indikerade, trots frånvaro av direkta orsakssamband, att relationer och terapier, med hund, kan lindra ensamhet, främja samhörighet och påverka fysisk, psykisk samt emotionell hälsa positivt hos äldre. Integrering av hundar i omvårdnaden kan vara ett lämpligt komplement, för ensamma äldre. / Background: Approximately ten percent of Sweden's population has reported feelings of loneliness. It is a widespread issue, particularly among the elderly, and is described to increase the risk of conditions such as, depression, suicidality, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality. Dogs have demonstrated, playing a role, providing both emotional and social support and can be utilized as a resource in healthcare. Since the 1990s, nurses have had the authority to employ dogs as a nursing intervention. However, clear implementation guidelines are still lacking. Aim: To examine the impact of dogs on the health of the elderly in relation to loneliness. Method: A rapid review was conducted. Sixteen scientific articles of high to moderate quality, employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches, were included. Data collection was conducted using purpose-relevant keywords and terms in CINAHL, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Web of Science, supplemented by manual searches and Google Scholar. Results: The results of this review highlight the impact of dogs on measurable as well as perceived health of both owners and intervention participants. Four main categories were identified: Social Impact, Physical Impact, Mental Impact and Emotional Impact. Dog ownership and dog-assisted interventions were associated with reduced loneliness and isolation, promoting a sense of belonging and community, in part by facilitating social interaction. Dogs also promoted a maintained/increased physical activity, reduced depressive symptoms and anxiety, as well as enhanced well-being and motivation. Conclusions: This literature-review indicated, despite absence of direct causal relationships, that relationships and therapies involving dogs can alleviate loneliness, promote a sense of belonging, and positively impact the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of older individuals. Integrating dogs into care could be a suitable complement for lonely elderly.

As interações entre humanos e animais silvestres são frequentes em parques e outras áreas verdes ao redor do mundo, causando impactos positivos e negativos para ambos. Compreender a natureza psicológica dessas interações é fundamental para lidar com os conflitos que surgem. Essa dissertação está dividida em dois estudos que tratam dessa questão. O primeiro é um ensaio em que defendemos que a abordagem psicoetológica possui ferramentas teóricas e metodológicas que podem ajudar a lidar com esses conflitos. Concluímos que a observação naturalística das interações com a diversidade animal é importante para se compreender os mecanismos regulatórios e a dinâmica das interações, e assim propor intervenções que sejam específicas aos contextos em que elas se inserem. O segundo é um estudo naturalístico em que são investigadas interações de visitantes com diferentes animais em um parque. Partindo da hipótese de que há um viés filogenético em nossa interação com outros animais, testamos se, no parque estudado, os visitantes exibem comportamentos potencialmente afiliativos dirigidos àquelas categorias animais filogeneticamente mais próximas aos humanos. Um viés filogenético foi identificado, mas características físicas e comportamentais de humanos e nãohumanos dentro do ambiente do parque podem afetar a dinâmica de interação, e devem ser tratadas em futuras investigações. Concluímos levantamos possibilidades de intervenção na dinâmica interacional do parque que promovam relações mais saudáveis com os animais silvestres / Human-wildlife interactions are common in parks and other green areas around the world, causing positive and negative impacts. Understanding the psychological nature of these interactions is critical to overcome conflicts. This work is divided into two studies about this question. The first is an essay in which we argue that the psychoethological approach has theoretical and methodological tools which can help to solve conflicts. We conclude that naturalistic observations of the diversity of human-animal interactions are important to comprehend regulatory mechanisms and interaction dynamics, and thus to propose interventions to specific contexts. The second is a naturalistic study in which we investigate human interactions with different animals in a park. We hypothesize that there is a phylogenetic bias in our relations with other animals, and we tested whether visitants exhibit more affiliative-like behaviors toward animals phylogenetically related to humans. The phylogenetic bias has been identified, but physic and behavioral characteristics of humans and nonhumans within the park might affect interaction dynamics and should be addressed in future investigations. We conclude raising possibilities of intervention in the park to promote healthier relations with wildlife

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with social communication and prosocial behaviors. Due to a lack of social communication and social interaction skills among children with ASD, special education teachers are tasked with providing meaningful social opportunities to them to facilitate their learning of these skills. Special education literature lacks research studies about how dog-based animal-assisted interventions (AAI) can improve social communication outcomes for children in a school setting. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study, guided by Bowlby's theory of attachment and the human-animal bond concept, was to explore, describe, and improve the understanding of how elementary teachers use dog-based AAI programs in their classrooms to facilitate social communication skill development for students with ASD. Data were collected through individual interviews of 10 elementary teachers and child-study team members who used AAI programs within their buildings. Data were openly coded using thematic analysis. Key findings of the study revealed that a therapy dog could act as a stimulus for social interactions as well as facilitate students' social interaction participation. The results also indicated the importance of the teacher's role in implementing AAI programs that target social communication skills. This study may contribute to the field of special education practice by promoting the implementation of more AAI programs in educational settings, not just for students with ASD, but also potentially for the whole school community.

The most common type of human animal interaction (HAI) programme used in prisons involves prisoners caring for and training unwanted dogs from rescue shelters, to prepare the dogs for rehoming. Such programmes have been previously developed specifically aimed towards male young offenders, and are claimed to improve emotional, social and practical outcomes. Paws for Progress, the first prison based dog training programme in the UK, was introduced to HM YOI Polmont in 2011. By clearly communicating each step of the 5 Step approach (1. Identify the problem; 2. Review the evidence; 3. Develop a logic model; 4. Identify indicators and monitor the logic model; 5. Evaluate the logic model), it has enhanced our understanding of the development processes required for effective prison based dog training programmes. This evaluation provides the first comprehensive quantitative analysis of short, medium and long term outcomes for Scottish young offenders serving custodial sentences (N = 70) following participation. The aims of Paws for Progress are to improve behaviour, increase engagement in education, develop employability skills, and enhance well-being. Using a mixed design with two control groups and triangulating quantitative and qualitative outcomes, the evaluation assesses the efficacy of the programme in meeting these aims. Systematic analyses of semi-structured interviews pre and post participation in the programme support findings from the quantitative analyses. Analyses of institutional behaviour, measured by Disciplinary Reports, educational progress measured by written assessments and qualifications, employability skills measured by psychometric tests, and prisoner well-being all improved for participants, but such improvements were not shown by control groups. Paws for Progress positively impacts short and medium term outcomes and data on longer term outcomes also indicate the benefits are far reaching. By clearly relating programme aims to the outcomes achieved, and considering the contribution of Paws for Progress to future desistance from crime, the value and relevance of these findings are evident. The evaluation contributes to our understanding of effective methodologies in this applied context, which can be utilised to improve research practice in interventions in criminal justice and in human animal interaction.

Employees and organisations of the modern workplace exist in an extremely stressful, demanding, and competitive environment, which adversely affects the health and well-being of the individual employee and the organisation. Employees are recognised as the most important asset of any organisation, and their health and well-being play a critical role in the productivity, profitability and competitiveness of the organisation. Employers can improve employee performance and consequently organisational productivity by promoting both healthier individuals and healthier work environments. The extent to which employers are able to maintain optimal performance, together with commitment, high morale, and well-being of their employees, will ultimately determine their level of success. Employers are, therefore, constantly searching for means that would promote employee health and well-being, and as a result also enhance organisational issues, such as productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness. The implementation of an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a conventional and trusted programme that produces such outcomes. The presence of pets in the workplace could possibly contribute to the field of employee assistance. According to research, the human-animal bond, and the positive interaction between humans and animals have a beneficial impact on the well-being, and quality of life of people from all age, and target groups. If these general health-enhancing benefits of pets on their human companions are experienced in the workplace, it may benefit the economically active adult population, as well as the organisation. Consequently, the implementation of a pet-friendly workplace policy may be an innovative means to enhance the outcomes of an EAP. The goal of this study is to explore the potential for implementing a pet-friendly workplace policy in a South African work environment as a means to enhance the outcomes of an EAP. The study was conducted in conjunction with employees from Lowe Bull Calvert Pace (LBCP), a leading advertising company in South Africa. Twenty-eight employees participated in the study. The study complies with a quantitative approach, as an electronic semi-structured self-completion questionnaire was developed and utilised to explore perceptions and opinions about the presence of pets in the workplace. Several interesting findings were made about the perceived functions, benefits, and drawbacks of pets in the workplace, as well as the overall opinion to the idea of pets in the workplace. The study also identified issues that need to be considered during the actual formulation of a pet-friendly workplace policy. Generally, research describes the benefits of pets for the more vulnerable people in society - those who are often not part of the economically active adult population. However, a pet-friendly workplace policy could benefit the economically active adult population and the organisation. This exploratory study reveals that a great deal still needs to be done before pets can be introduced into the South African work environment. It may however, in the near future, be possible to integrate a pet-friendly workplace policy as a logical, but limited, component of a comprehensive EAP as a means to enhance the outcomes of the programme. / Dissertation (MSoc.Sc (Employee Assistance Programme))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Social Work / unrestricted

Human pleasant touches promote feelings of security, supportiveness, and wellbeing. Conversely, human unpleasant touches promote the body for either “fight or flight” or “short term acute stress” during emergencies, feeling of stress or danger. The promoted stress response is released from the hypothalamus by the sympathetic nerve system further to the spinal cord to reach the signals to the adrenal medulla, where stress hormones adrenaline is released. Adrenaline, which is characterized by a mimic sympathetic nerve system, interacts with α and β receptors on different organs. The aim for this study was to investigate whether the stroker (partner/stranger) touch effects on adrenaline hormone releases. The null hypothesis for this study entails a significant adrenaline reduction in partners’ touches compared with strangers’ touches. Indirect competitive ELISA method was used, and concentration data of a total of sixteen participants was obtained. Whitney-U test was carried out to compare group differences within stroker (stranger/partner) touches and adrenaline releasing level. In addition, correlation in adrenaline with noradrenaline and oxytocin hormones was obtained using Spearman’s correlation test. The significant p-value 0.05 was conducted. The result of this study showed no differences between stroker (partner/stranger) associated with adrenaline hormone release. Correlation between partner maximum (max) concentration data for both oxytocin and adrenaline had significant differences. However, max variables for adrenaline and noradrenaline within stroker did not show significant differences. The conclusion of this study is that the gentle touch stimulus used in this study was not enough to detect stress hormone in adrenaline.

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