Date Presented 4/21/2018
This mixed methods study examined the effect of animal-assisted activities with a therapy dog on the behaviors of students in a behavioral classroom and perceptions of student and staff. Occupational therapy practitioners can use the findings to inform school-based practice.
Primary Author and Speaker: Lou Jensen
Additional Authors and Speakers: Amanda Verbrugge, Maxine Holmes, Emily Turner, Candice Palea, Tayte Koussa
Contributing Authors: Brenda Coppard, Yongyue Qi
PURPOSE: Approximately 13%–20% of children in the United States experience a mental disorder, and $247 billion is spent annually on these children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). Unfortunately, mental health services and resources in schools are lacking (Adelman & Taylor, 1999). Animal-assisted activities (AAA) have been shown to be a cost-effective and feasible intervention to improve behaviors of children in school (Beck, 2015), but few studies have specifically examined the effect of AAA on the behaviors of children in a behavioral classroom. Occupational therapy practitioners, with their knowledge of how emotions and behavior can affect the occupations of school-age children, are well equipped to use AAA with their clients. The purpose of this pilot study was twofold: (1) to examine behaviors of children in a behavioral classroom after engaging in AAA with a therapy dog and (2) to explore student and staff perceptions of AAA with a therapy dog. The research questions were as follows: What are the effects of AAA on the behaviors of children in a behavioral classroom? What are student and staff perceptions of AAA?
METHOD: A concurrent mixed methods approach was used. Two groups of participants were recruited: (1) children in 2nd–5th grades who attended a public elementary school in a mid-sized Midwestern town and spent at least a portion of each day in a behavioral classroom and (2) the staff who worked with these children. A school administrator assisted with identifying potential participants. Seven students and six staff members agreed to be participants.
Observed behaviors and perceptions of behaviors of students were examined before, during, and after implementation of therapy dog visits in the classroom for 1 hr each day. Surveys and behavioral logs from students and staff were used to collect quantitative data. The survey tool, developed by Child Trends (2014), measured student and staff perceptions of self-control, persistence, and social competence in the classroom. Semistructured interviews with students and staff were conducted to gather qualitative data.
Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine differences in survey responses within the groups. A paired t test was used with the daily behavioral log data to analyze frequency of negative and positive behaviors in the classroom to determine behavioral trends between the preintervention, intervention, and postintervention phases. Thematic coding was used to analyze the qualitative data.
RESULTS: Analysis of behavioral logs and staff surveys revealed a significant increase in positive behaviors during and after AAA implementation, although negative behaviors also increased during the intervention phase. Staff noted a significant increase in positive student behaviors during and after AAA. Staff and students reported positive benefits of the therapy dog in the classroom, including behavior changes, ability to emotionally regulate, and an improved classroom environment.
CONCLUSION: The presence of a therapy dog for 1 hr a day in a behavioral classroom significantly increased positive and negative behaviors in student participants. Students and staff perceived benefits of AAA in the classroom. This study is important to school-based occupational therapy practitioners because it shows that AAA are feasible interventions in the school setting to impact behavior, provide emotional support, and increase positive feelings in the classroom, which can improve students’ occupational performance.
References
Adelman, H. S., & Taylor, L. (1999). Mental health in schools and system restructuring. Clinical Psychology Review, 19, 137–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-7358(98)00071-3
Beck, K. (2015). The impact of canine-assisted therapy and activities on children in an educational setting. Unpublished master’s thesis, St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY. Retrieved from https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_ETD_masters/312/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Children’s mental health—News report. Atlanta, GA: Author.
Child Trends. (2014). Measuring elementary school students’ social and emotional skills. Retrieved from http://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-37CombinedMeasuresApproachandTablepdf1.pdf
