Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and equine-assisted therapy/learning (EAT/L) are innovative techniques in counselling, psychotherapy, mental health, coaching, and other personal growth interventions. Although this field has experienced tremendous growth in the United States, very little is known about its Canadian equivalent. The purpose of this study was therefore to examine the current state of AAT and EAT/L in Canada, by conducting a national, bilingual (English and French) survey of helping professionals who involve animals in their practices. A total of 131 questionnaires were retained for analysis. The results of this study suggest that the field is very diverse, with a multitude of confusing terms and expressions, varying levels of education and training, and disagreement on how different practices are defined, resulting in a fragmented, confusing and inconsistent appearance. Recommendations for the evolution of the field and suggestions for future research are provided.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/1457 |
| Date | 16 July 2009 |
| Creators | Schlote, Sarah M. |
| Contributors | Black, Timothy G. |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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