Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 2009
Disciplines
Alternative and Complementary Medicine | Pediatric Nursing
Abstract
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a healing modality involving a patient, an animal therapist, and handler with a goal of achieving a specified therapeutic outcome. Despite the myriad of studies documenting the benefits of AAT, no studies have yet determined the impact of animals on alleviation of pain in children. Therefore, a quasi-experimental intervention design was used to capture the change in pain and vital signs with (n = 18) or without (n = 39) AAT in children ages 3–17 in one acute care pediatric setting. The AAT intervention group experienced a significant reduction in pain level compared to the control group, t(55) = −2.86, p = .006. Although blood pressure and pulse were not impacted, respiratory rates became significantly higher in the AAT group (by an average of 2.22 breaths/min) as compared to the control group, t(55) = −2.63, p = .011. This study provides further support to the numerous health benefits of AAT, particularly for children in pain.
Copyright Statement
Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License
Recommended Citation
Braun, Carie; Stangler, T.; Narveson, J.; and Pettingel, S., "Animal-assisted Therapy as a Pain Relief Intervention for Children" (2009). Nursing Faculty Publications. 9.
https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/nursing_pubs/9
Comments
This is the author's version of an article that was subsequently published as Braun, Carie, T. Stangler, J. Narveson, and S. Pettingel. 2009. "Animal-assisted Therapy as a Pain Relief Intervention for Children". Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 15: 105-109. DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.02.008