Animal-assisted psychotherapy for young people with behavioural problems in residential care

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of an animal-assisted psychotherapy (AAP) programme on clinical symptoms, personal adjustment, and adaptive skills in a group of adolescents in residential care who had experienced childhood trauma and who presented mental health problems and difficulties adapting to the care home environment. The 87 participants (M-age=15.17, SD=1.53) were divided into two groups: a treatment group (25 girls and 27 boys; M-age=15.00, SD=1.55) and a control group (9 girls and 26 boys; M-age=15.42, SD=1.50). The programme consisted of 34 sessions involving both group (23 sessions) and individual (11 sessions) AAP. The Behaviour Assessment System for Children was used to evaluate clinical and adaptive dimensions of behaviour and personality. The results indicated that, in comparison with controls, the young people who took part in the AAP programme reported a significant improvement on two measures of internalizing symptoms, namely, depression and sense of inadequacy. Although no significant differences were observed in relation to externalizing symptoms, the adolescents who received the AAP programme showed improved social skills in terms of their ability to interact satisfactorily with peers and adults in the care home environment, as well as a more positive attitude towards teachers at school. These results suggest that AAP may be a promising treatment for young people who have experienced childhood trauma and who subsequently find it difficult to adapt to the residential care setting.