A Taste of the Research
The data is overwhelming: Animal-assisted therapy works.
A 2017 study by Modern Psychological Studies (vol 22) notes that students in animal-assisted therapy programs had a 0% dropout rate, versus a 40% rate for those without this therapy. The same study found that students were 94% more likely to seek out mental health help with animal-assisted therapy than traditional one-on-one counseling.
|
According to a 2015 study by Beth A. Lanning, an 8-week therapeutic riding program resulted in a “clinically significant decrease in PTSD symptoms, improved social functioning, vitality, less interference of emotions in daily activities, and increased participation. Qualitative themes discovered included improved confidence, trust, acceptance of self and others, and gratitude.”
Yuval Neria, PhD states, “Furthermore, horses are especially advantageous … as they are naturally hypervigilant and highly sensitive to verbal and nonverbal cues … providing patients with immediate feedback during horse-human interactions, which [enable] ample opportunities to enhance emotional awareness, reflection, and attunement to thoughts, behaviors, and patterns of communication.” |