EFFECT OF ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY ON DEPRESSION, MEMORY, ATTENTION, AND EMOTION REGULATION

Abstract

Introduction: The mere presence of a dog in a therapeutic setup is known to bring about more positive outcomes when incorporated in therapy, dogs can bring about multifarious benefits which are not entirely tapped upon. Aim: This research aimed to study the effect of animal-assisted therapy (AAT), with therapy dogs, on depressive symptoms, emotional regulation, memory and attention of individuals. Method: A pretest-posttest quasi-experimental research design was used. Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) for memory and attention, Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were used for pre and post-testing 1 week before and post the intervention. Results: The findings reveal a positive impact of AAT on the given domains of memory, attention, emotion regulation and depressive symptoms, in the experimental group. No significant changes were obtained for the control group. Discussion: The results help validate the module of AAT to improve an individual’s cognitive functioning and alleviate depressive and emotional dysregulations. Further implications are discussed.

Keywords

• animal-assisted therapy
• attention
• depression
• emotion regulation
• memory
• therapy dog