The Impact of a Dog-Training Program on Female Offenders

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a prison dog-training (DT) program on female prisoners’ occupational satisfaction, self-concept, empathy, mood, and parenting attitudes.

RATIONALE: DT programs may improve female prisoners’ mental health and protect against occupational deprivation. For over 14 years, the Canine Helpers Allow More Possibilities (CHAMP) DT program has operated at Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic, and Correctional Center (WERDCC), a maximum-security state prison in Vandalia, MO. There has been no assessment of the program’s impact. This study will advance understanding of the potential benefits of DT programs for female prisoners.

DESIGN: This study used a quasi-experimental, posttest-only, cross-sectional design. All 52 study participants were female prisoners at WERDCC. DT program participants and non–program participants were recruited. The three naturally occurring study groups were (1) trainers, who cared for the dogs and participated fully in the DT program; (2) assistants, who helped trainers care for the dogs but were not in the DT program; and (3) controls, who had no formal interaction with the dogs. All participants were recruited from the same prison housing block. Trainers participated in the DT program prior to and throughout the study. English proficiency was required.

METHOD: All participants completed a battery of self-administered assessments: the Occupational Self Assessment (OSA), the Brief Symptom Inventory–18 (BSI–18), the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (TSCS), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and the Adult–Adolescent Parenting Inventory 2 (AAPI–2). Using IBM SPSS Statistics, we compared data from each group cross-sectionally using one-way analysis of variance and appropriate post hoc methods.

RESULTS: We identified 11 trainers, 18 assistants, and 28 controls who met validation criteria. Five women were excluded based on TSCS validity requirements. Statistical significance between groups was found on the OSA. The OSA assesses incongruity between self-reported performance on everyday occupations and perceived importance of those same occupations. When compared with the other groups, assistants reported lower performance but ascribed more importance to “concentrating on tasks” (p = .007) and to “identifying and solving problems” (p = .015). A trend found that trainers reported lower performance but ascribed more importance to “relaxing and enjoying themselves” (p = .089). BSI–18 results suggested that trainers had higher anxiety while assistants had higher depression. Total TSCS scores for all groups were normal, but trainers scored low (M = 38) in the Family Self-Concept domain. Scores on the AAPI–2 showed medium risk for all groups. No significant difference between groups was detected on the IRI.

IMPACT STATEMENT: Female prisoners are particularly vulnerable to experiencing occupational deprivation and mental health issues. Establishing effective prison programming is vital to enhancing this population’s quality of life. Our initial findings show that DT programs for incarcerated women may have a positive impact, but results are inconclusive. This study contributes preliminary evidence to support the efficacy of such programs and lays the groundwork for future research.