The effect of animal-assisted therapy on levels of measured anxiety and depression in residents of assisted living and health care communities

Author

Catherine Smith Hagmann

Date of Award

12-1997

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Human Ecology

Major Professor

Bill C. Wallace

Committee Members

Jack S. Ellison, Robert H. Kirk, David A. Bemis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of animal assisted therapy (AAT) on levels of measured anxiety and depression in residents of assisted living and health care communities in East Tennessee. A second purpose was to analyze by use of a time series design the effect of thirty minutes of exposure to an AAT dog during a two- week period on anxiety and depression among a group of residents which was part of the original larger group of participants. A third purpose was to compare the experimental groups' and the control groups' attitudes about human and animal bonds. The final purpose of this study was to analyze assisted living and health care center's staff attitudes about animal- assisted therapy.

The experimental group (N=41) had been receiving AAT for an average of 8.4 years per facility (N=5), and the control group (N=39) members at seven separate facilities had not been receiving AAT. All participants voluntarily took part in the study.

The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Attitudes About Human And Animal Bonds were administered in a pre-test manner to all participants. One group (N-9) composed of volunteers from the original experimental group (N=41) and a separate group (N=13) composed of volunteers from the original control group (N=39) completed time series designed post-testing which employed the instruments. In the case of the experimental group post-test₁, was administered six weeks after the original pre-test, which allowed for the participants to spend 30 minutes in the presence of a trained, approved AAT dog for no less than two weeks out of a six week period. Post-test₂ was administered 24 hours after post-test₁, and post-test₃ was administered two weeks after post-test₂. Post-test₁ was administered to the control group. two to four weeks after the original pretest, but no AAT was administered. Post-test₂ was administered 24 hours after post-test₁ and post-test₃ was administered two or two and one-half weeks after post-test,

SPSS (Statistical Package for The Social Sciences) was used to generate a repeated measures variance of analysis, one with within-subject factor time, and one with between-subject factor group. This general linear model or ANOVA produced paired samples t-tests for all groups compared. All statistical analyses were computed using alpha = .05 as the determining level of significance

The instrument, Staff Attitudes About Animal-Assisted Therapy, was employed. Staff responses were analyzed by numerically coding the data obtained from staff at sites which had AAT (N=63) and from staff at sites which did not have AAT (N=33).

Based on the findings, the following are the major conclusions:

1. When the effect of AAT on levels of measured anxiety and depression in residents of assisted living and health care communities is examined by employing the BAI and the BDI, AAT does not contribute significantly to the reduction of anxiety. however, AAT does contribute significantly to the reduction of depression.

2. After two weeks of exposure to an AAT dog, there is an increase in levels of measured anxiety and depression in the experimental group (N=9), and there is a decrease in levels of measured anxiety and depression from the time of pre-test to the time of post-test, in the control group (N=13).

3. Members of the original experimental group and members of the original control group have positive attitudes about human and animal bonds. Increasing the participants length of exposure time to an AAT dog to 30 minutes per week for two weeks results in a slight increase in the group's positive attitude about human and animal bonds.

4. Staff perceptions that AAT is more effective at helping residents of assisted living and health care centers cope with depression, when considering anxiety and depression, are accurate when based on results from the BAI and the BDI

Recommended Citation

Hagmann, Catherine Smith, "The effect of animal-assisted therapy on levels of measured anxiety and depression in residents of assisted living and health care communities. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1997.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/9509