Animal Assisted Therapy

Animals are fun to be with and comforting to hold. People who have pets benefit in various ways, for example, comfort of physical contact with animals, reducing loneliness, and increased opportunities for meeting others, via the pets. In addition, caring for pets encourages nurturance, responsibility, and adherence to a daily schedule. Delta Society defines Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) as "a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning." AAT is provided for a group or individuals. Whenever AAT is held, therapists must document records and evaluate each participant's progress . Many kinds of animals could be used such as dogs, cats, birds, horses, dolphins, rabbits, lizards, and other small animals. AAT provides physical, mental, educational, and motivational effectiveness for participants.

Physical

• Improve fine motor skills
• Improve wheelchair skills
• Improve standing balance

Mental Health

• Increase verbal interactions between group members
• Increase attention skills (i.e., paying attention, staying on task)
• Develop leisure/recreation skills
• Increase self-esteem
• Reduce anxiety
• Reduce loneliness

Educational

• Increase vocabulary
• Aid in long- or short-term memory
• Improve knowledge of concepts such as size, color, etc.

Motivational

• Improve willingness to be involved in a group activity
• Improve interactions with others
• Improve interactions with staff

Benefits in mental health

In psychosis, AAT has been found to be associated with significant improvement in the hedonic tone of people with schizophrenia, with improved motivation and interest in rewarding activities as well as better use of leisure time.