The Experts below are selected from a list of 654 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Halina Baran - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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salivary cortisol and behavior in Therapy Dogs during animal assisted interventions a pilot study
Journal of Veterinary Behavior-clinical Applications and Research, 2014Co-Authors: L M Glenk, Oswald D Kothgassner, Birgit U Stetina, Rupert Palme, Berthold Kepplinger, Halina BaranAbstract:Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) have been associated with positive effects on human psychological and physiological health. Although the perception of quality standards in AAIs is high, only few investigations have focused on potential welfare implications for Therapy Dogs linked to their performance in AAIs. The standardized program “multiprofessional animal-assisted intervention (MTI)” has been carried out in adult mental health care, significantly improving patients’ prosocial behaviors. In the present study, we monitored salivary cortisol and behavioral measures in Therapy Dogs that participated in MTI group Therapy sessions in an in-patient substance abuse treatment facility. Work-related activity (lay, sit, stand, walk, and run), behavior (lip licking, yawning, paw lifting, body shake, tail wagging, and panting), response to human action (taking food treats and obeying commands), and salivary cortisol levels were analyzed over the course of 5 subsequent MTI working sessions in experienced Therapy Dogs
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Therapy Dogs salivary cortisol levels vary during animal assisted interventions
Animal Welfare, 2013Co-Authors: L M Glenk, Oswald D Kothgassner, Birgit U Stetina, Rupert Palme, Berthold Kepplinger, Halina BaranAbstract:Beneficial effects of human-animal contact on human health have contributed to the wide distribution of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs). While considerable effort has been devoted to the study of human welfare during AAIs, potential effects on Therapy animals have been addressed less frequently. The aim of this study was to determine baseline and work-related levels of cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone that mediates physiological responses to arousal, in certified Therapy Dogs and Therapy Dogs in training. All Dogs (n = 21) participated in weekly group-AAIs in adult mental healthcare. Saliva samples were collected over the course of AAIs and on non-working days and analysed with a cortisol enzyme immunoassay. Analysis of the results revealed that according to their cortisol responses, both Therapy Dogs and Therapy Dogs in training were not stressed by AAIs. However, cortisol levels during work in certified Therapy Dogs performing AAIs onand off-lead varied significantly, suggesting that further investigation into the use of a lead or other methods of giving Therapy Dogs opportunities to approach or avoid human contact is needed.
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Assessing Therapy Dogs’ welfare in animal-assisted interventions
Journal of Veterinary Behavior-clinical Applications and Research, 2013Co-Authors: L. M. Glenk, Oswald D Kothgassner, Birgit U Stetina, Rupert Palme, Berthold Kepplinger, Halina BaranAbstract:s / Journal of Veterinary Behavior 8 (2013) e27ee46 e30 and seem to regulate whether an animal comes out as more dominant or more submissive after a conspecific agonistic interaction. It is hypothesized that both baseline and changes in testosterone and cortisol levels can predict the outcomes of social interactions between cohabiting Dogs. If cohabiting Dogs form a consistent social rank structure, these outcomes may be predicted by owner questionnaire responses.
Amy Mccullough - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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physiological and behavioral effects of animal assisted interventions on Therapy Dogs in pediatric oncology settings
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2017Co-Authors: Amy Mccullough, Molly A Jenkins, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, Mary Jo Gilmer, Janice Olson, Anjali S Pawar, Leslie Holley, Shirley Sierrarivera, Deborah E Linder, Danielle PichetteAbstract:Abstract Over the past two decades, animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), defined as the purposeful incorporation of specially trained animals in services to improve human health, have become increasingly popular in clinical settings. However, to date, there have been few rigorously-designed studies aimed at examining the impact of AAIs on Therapy animals, despite a notable potential for stress. The current study measured physiological and behavioral stress indicators in Therapy Dogs who participated in AAI sessions in pediatric oncology settings, while also examining the psychosocial effects for patients and their parents. This manuscript describes the study’s canine stress findings. A total of 26 Therapy dog-handler teams were paired with newly diagnosed children with cancer at five children’s hospitals in the United States. These teams provided regular AAI visits to the child and his/her parent(s) for a period of four months. The teams completed a demographic form, the Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), and a self-report survey to document the types of activities that occurred during each session. Canine saliva was also collected at five baseline time points and 20 min after the start of study sessions for cortisol analysis, and all study sessions were video recorded to document the dog’s behavior via an ethogram measure. Data showed no significant differences in salivary cortisol levels between baseline (0.51 μg/dL) and AAI sessions (0.44 μg/dL; p = 0.757). Higher salivary cortisol was significantly associated with a higher number of stress behaviors per session (p = 0.039). There was a significant relationship between stress and affiliative session behaviors (p Results show that Therapy Dogs did not have significantly increased physiological stress responses, nor did they exhibit significantly more stress-related behaviors than affiliative-related behaviors, while participating in AAIs in pediatric oncology settings. There was a significant relationship between canine cortisol and behavior, thus strengthening the argument for the use of cortisol in canine well-being research. This study discusses the importance of further investigation to confirm these findings, and to enhance Therapy dog involvement in hospital settings.
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The effects of animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) for pediatric oncology patients and their parents at five hospital sites
Journal of Cancer Science & Therapy, 2016Co-Authors: Amy McculloughAbstract:Purpose: While anecdotal evidence underscores the positive impact of Therapy Dogs for children with cancer and their families, rigorous studies of efficacy are currently lacking, even as animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) occur daily in today’s pediatric oncology settings. This national, multi-site study is the first of its kind to rigorously measure the psychosocial effects of AAIs for this population. Specifically, researchers are interested in whether or not AAIs have positive effects on patient stress, anxiety and health-related quality of life and on parent stress and anxiety, as well as whether or not Therapy Dogs experience distress during AAI sessions.
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Understanding the Role of Therapy Dogs in Pediatric Oncology Settings
2013Co-Authors: Molly A Jenkins, Amy Mccullough, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, Kevin MorrisAbstract:Focus groups and interviews were conducted at three U.S. children’s hospitals to gain the perspectives of staff, parents of pediatric oncology patients, adolescent cancer survivors, and Therapy dog handlers regarding the role of animal-assisted Therapy (AAT) as an adjunctive intervention for children with cancer and their families. Most participants believed AAT is beneficial when visits are consistent and introduced shortly after diagnosis, especially for young patients. Qualitative findings …
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Canines and Childhood Cancer: The Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy for Patients, Families and Therapy Dogs
2013Co-Authors: Molly A Jenkins, Amy Mccullough, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, Kevin MorrisAbstract:For many people, animals take center stage in their daily lives, offering companionship, comfort, joy and for some, even kinship. Increasingly, greater attention has been given to the roles that animals can play in supporting the health and emotional well-being of people in need, specifically through the use of animal-assisted Therapy (AAT). However, while the field of human-animal interaction (HAI) research has expanded enormously in recent years, it is still unclear whether the incorporation …
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Canines and childhood cancer: Examining the effects of Therapy Dogs with childhood cancer patients and their families
2012Co-Authors: Molly A Jenkins, Amy Mccullough, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, John D FlukeAbstract:This document is a comprehensive review of the literature on childhood cancer epidemiology; pediatric oncology treatment; physical and psychosocial well-being impacts of childhood cancer for children and their families; human-animal bond history and research; and the application of animal-assisted interventions with various populations in need, particularly those affected by childhood cancer. This literature review is a key product completed during the first year of work on the Canines and …
Dawn A. Marcus - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Complementary Medicine in Cancer Care: Adding a Therapy Dog to the Team
Current Pain and Headache Reports, 2012Co-Authors: Dawn A. MarcusAbstract:Animal-assisted Therapy, including visits from certified Therapy Dogs, offer a valuable and often underutilized resource for addressing unmet needs in cancer patients. Prospective research studies have documented symptomatic benefits for reducing pain, psychological distress, and fatigue in a variety of patient populations, including cancer patients. Utilizing consistent policies minimizes patient risk and infection control concerns associated with animal visits.
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Adding Therapy Dogs to Your Cancer Treatment Team
Therapy Dogs in Cancer Care, 2012Co-Authors: Dawn A. MarcusAbstract:Facility-specific guidelines need to be developed to address certification requirements for Therapy Dogs, practical logistics of Therapy dog visits, and infection control issues. Policies should be developed using expertise from volunteer coordinators, risk management, infection control specialists, veterinarians, and Therapy dog handlers. Outside agencies are used to train, test, and certify Therapy Dogs. Insurance is generally provided through these agencies. Dogs can become colonized with some human pathogens. Implementing infection control procedures and controlling dog behavior during visits reduce risks for Dogs becoming colonized. Established programs incorporating Therapy Dogs as complementary treatment for cancer patients offer role models for the development of new programs.
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Introduction to Therapy Dogs
Therapy Dogs in Cancer Care, 2012Co-Authors: Dawn A. MarcusAbstract:Complementary treatments may include goal-directed dog visits to specific populations, called animal-assisted Therapy, or more casual encounters designed to provide socialization and increase comfort, called animal-assisted activities. Therapy Dogs may be permitted into areas that may typically restrict animals (e.g., schools, hospitals, and hospices) during the time when the Dogs are providing therapeutic services. Therapy dog visits have been shown to provide both subjective and objective improvements in pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations with a broad range of medical conditions. Studies have shown significant physiological changes in humans after experiencing Therapy dog visits. Ethical issues surrounding Therapy dog visits have been addressed.
Mary Renck Jalongo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Promoting Children’s Well-Being: Therapy Dogs
Children Dogs and Education, 2018Co-Authors: Mary Renck Jalongo, Janine PetroAbstract:Incorporating trained, registered, and insured Dogs into animal-assisted activities has gained support in professional practice and research. This chapter begins by defining Therapy Dogs—both what they are and what they are not. It then provides an evidence based rationale for Therapy Dogs as a complementary part of animal-assisted activities. Next is a discussion of common objections to bringing Dogs into a facility and practical ways to address each issue. Three main types of animal-assisted activities are discussed. The remainder of the chapter examines setting programmatic goals and concludes with a conceptualization of the partnership, participants, protocols, and products that hold the greatest promise for yielding data about initiatives that involve Therapy Dogs.
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Therapy Dogs in academic libraries a way to foster student engagement and mitigate self reported stress during finals
Public Services Quarterly, 2015Co-Authors: Mary Renck Jalongo, Theresa McdevittAbstract:More and more modern academic libraries are turning to student engagement activities designed to welcome students into Academia, join a community of scholars, and avail themselves of the full range of resources and services that a university library can provide. One unusual, but inexpensive and highly effective method of engaging students is bringing Therapy Dogs into the library. This article begins by explaining how Therapy Dogs differ from other types of Dogs and how to counter objections to library engagement activities involving canines. It then offers a research-based rationale for human-canine interaction that is consistent with an academic library's mission. Next, the article addresses the planning/implementation phase a student engagement event involving handler/Therapy dog teams, reviews the literature on successful programs at various institutions, and offers guidance to others seeking to initiate a similar program. A project of this type depends upon collaboration among faculty members, colleg...
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Canine Visitors: The Influence of Therapy Dogs on Young Children's Learning and Well-Being in Classrooms and Hospitals
Early Childhood Education Journal, 2004Co-Authors: Mary Renck Jalongo, Terri Astorino, Nancy BomboyAbstract:Trained Therapy Dogs are becoming an increasingly common sight in many educational and health care settings. This article, coauthored by a college professor, a Therapy Dogs International, Inc., Evaluator and local program director, and a registered nurse reviews the research on using registered Therapy Dogs as adjuncts in school programs and health care treatment plans for children ages 5–8. It addresses to the most commonly raised objections to allowing Dogs in classrooms and patient rooms and offers practical guidelines for maximizing the positive outcomes of animal-assisted activities and Therapy (AAA/T).
Molly A Jenkins - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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physiological and behavioral effects of animal assisted interventions on Therapy Dogs in pediatric oncology settings
Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 2017Co-Authors: Amy Mccullough, Molly A Jenkins, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, Mary Jo Gilmer, Janice Olson, Anjali S Pawar, Leslie Holley, Shirley Sierrarivera, Deborah E Linder, Danielle PichetteAbstract:Abstract Over the past two decades, animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), defined as the purposeful incorporation of specially trained animals in services to improve human health, have become increasingly popular in clinical settings. However, to date, there have been few rigorously-designed studies aimed at examining the impact of AAIs on Therapy animals, despite a notable potential for stress. The current study measured physiological and behavioral stress indicators in Therapy Dogs who participated in AAI sessions in pediatric oncology settings, while also examining the psychosocial effects for patients and their parents. This manuscript describes the study’s canine stress findings. A total of 26 Therapy dog-handler teams were paired with newly diagnosed children with cancer at five children’s hospitals in the United States. These teams provided regular AAI visits to the child and his/her parent(s) for a period of four months. The teams completed a demographic form, the Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), and a self-report survey to document the types of activities that occurred during each session. Canine saliva was also collected at five baseline time points and 20 min after the start of study sessions for cortisol analysis, and all study sessions were video recorded to document the dog’s behavior via an ethogram measure. Data showed no significant differences in salivary cortisol levels between baseline (0.51 μg/dL) and AAI sessions (0.44 μg/dL; p = 0.757). Higher salivary cortisol was significantly associated with a higher number of stress behaviors per session (p = 0.039). There was a significant relationship between stress and affiliative session behaviors (p Results show that Therapy Dogs did not have significantly increased physiological stress responses, nor did they exhibit significantly more stress-related behaviors than affiliative-related behaviors, while participating in AAIs in pediatric oncology settings. There was a significant relationship between canine cortisol and behavior, thus strengthening the argument for the use of cortisol in canine well-being research. This study discusses the importance of further investigation to confirm these findings, and to enhance Therapy dog involvement in hospital settings.
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Understanding the Role of Therapy Dogs in Pediatric Oncology Settings
2013Co-Authors: Molly A Jenkins, Amy Mccullough, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, Kevin MorrisAbstract:Focus groups and interviews were conducted at three U.S. children’s hospitals to gain the perspectives of staff, parents of pediatric oncology patients, adolescent cancer survivors, and Therapy dog handlers regarding the role of animal-assisted Therapy (AAT) as an adjunctive intervention for children with cancer and their families. Most participants believed AAT is beneficial when visits are consistent and introduced shortly after diagnosis, especially for young patients. Qualitative findings …
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Canines and Childhood Cancer: The Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy for Patients, Families and Therapy Dogs
2013Co-Authors: Molly A Jenkins, Amy Mccullough, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, Kevin MorrisAbstract:For many people, animals take center stage in their daily lives, offering companionship, comfort, joy and for some, even kinship. Increasingly, greater attention has been given to the roles that animals can play in supporting the health and emotional well-being of people in need, specifically through the use of animal-assisted Therapy (AAT). However, while the field of human-animal interaction (HAI) research has expanded enormously in recent years, it is still unclear whether the incorporation …
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Canines and childhood cancer: Examining the effects of Therapy Dogs with childhood cancer patients and their families
2012Co-Authors: Molly A Jenkins, Amy Mccullough, Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, John D FlukeAbstract:This document is a comprehensive review of the literature on childhood cancer epidemiology; pediatric oncology treatment; physical and psychosocial well-being impacts of childhood cancer for children and their families; human-animal bond history and research; and the application of animal-assisted interventions with various populations in need, particularly those affected by childhood cancer. This literature review is a key product completed during the first year of work on the Canines and …
