dogs as crisis assistants? - cima · dogs as crisis assistants? filomena bua psychologist, doctor...
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Dogsascrisisassistants?
Filomena Bua Psychologist, Doctor Clinical Science (Counselling & Psychotherapy) student
Supervisors: Dr. Melissa Monfries, La Trobe University Professor Pranee Liamputtong, La Trobe University
Workshopprogram• Introduction to Animal Assisted Crisis Response (AACR)
• Background: Theoretical and research
• Exploration on the use of dogs for crisis work• Introduction to doctoral study• Findings from the doctoral study
• Discussion: What do you think about the use of dogs as assistants for crisis intervention work?
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACR‐ Introduction• Resulted from September 11th New York disaster
• 500 AAT teams responded • Subsequently used in USA by local, State and National services• Deployments: Floods, fires, train derailments, hurricanes Katrina
and Rita, Newtown school shooting
• Consist of a human handler and dog team • Specialised in providing emotional support to people affected by
disasters, including front line respondents • AAT certified and 12 visits • CISM or psychological first aide certified• AACR certified • 2010 National Standards document (Eaton‐Stull, Ehlers, Ganser,
Lothrop, Rideout, Levenson, (2010)
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACR‐ Introduction
• AACR is a new emerging field. 13 years old• No research studies, Descriptive publications (Greenbaum, 2006;
Shubert, 2012)• Organisations (HOPE AACR, NAACR, CCCR, NOAH)• Only uses dogs • Draws from AAT, CISM, crisis intervention principles and practice:
Therefore closely aligning it to the crisis intervention and crisis counselling fields (Greenbaum, 2006)
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACR Organisation
Crisis ProfessionalAACR Team Leader
Individual affected by crisis
AACR dog handler
AACR Dog
AACR:Servicedeliverymodel
Filomena Bua, 2013
Dogsinmentalhealthfield‐background
• 18thCentury: Tuke introduced notion of animals for residents suffering with a mentalillness in an English retreat (Schaefer, 2002)
• 19thCentury: Freud wrote that the human‐dog bond produced feelings of intimacy,solidarity and friendship. Claimed his dog, Jofi had a calming effect on his patients (Salk,2010; O’Callaghan, 2008)
• Levinson, a child clinical psychiatrist noted the effect his dog had on his more resistantclients. Dog assisted the client‐therapist relationship (Schaefer, 2002). Was one of the firstmental health professionals to present the concept of AAT to the mental health field at theAmerican Psychological Association Convention in 1961 (O'Callaghan, 2008; Schaefer,2002)
Filomena Bua, 2013
Human–dogbond:Perspectives
Bio‐evolutionary and Naturalistic
• Biophilia hypothesis
• Animals have an innate attentiveness to the world around them, they detectand decipher environmental cues which assist human survival (Wilson, 1984)
Quality of life
• Blood pressure, anxiety (Odendaal, 2000), heart conditions (Friedmann, Katcher,Lynch, & Thomas 1980)
Social
• “Social lubricants” is a term applied to dogs because of their ability to facilitate socialinteraction between humans (Schneider & Harley, 2006)
• Extension of self and others (Belk 1996)
Filomena Bua, 2013
Human–dogbond:Perspectives
Attachment and relationship
• Attachment Theory: The human‐dog relationship for humans emotionally resemblesthe parent‐child bond (Bowlby, 1977). “Surrogate kin” (Wilson, 1984)
• Dogs have been modified to look and behave like tame affectionate childrenrequiring care (Prato‐Previde, Custance, Spiezio, & Sabatini, 2003)
• “Theory of mind” Humans have the capacity and internal structures which enablethem to have cognitive representations of another person’s state of mind (Siegel,2004), dogs may also have “theory of mind” (Custance & Mayer, 2012)
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACRStudyExamine parameters under which AACR is initiated, delivered and of benefit to crisis response services, in particular crisis counsellors
• Under what conditions is AACR pertinent to the crisis intervention community?
• How do AACR teams work with crisis counsellors? • Provide a research base for AACR work
What interpretations do AACR dog handlers and crisis counsellors who have worked with AACR dogs have of the work these dogs do
• What do the AACR dogs do?• What symbolic meanings are attributed to the dogs?• How is this different from what other crisis counselling and support services
do?
Identify future development options and recommendations for AACR • What is the future development for AACR? • AACR development within the Australian context
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACR Organisation
Crisis ProfessionalAACR Team Leader
AACR study
AACR dog handler
AACR Dog
Individual affected by crisisFilomena Bua, 2013
AACRStudy–Findings:
THE NATURE OF CRISIS
Critical incident
small or large scale
(reactive)
Community crisis response
(planned)
Psychotherapy crisis response
(planned)
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACRStudy–Thenatureofcrisis
Main findings from AACR study
• AACR services are closely aligned to crisis intervention principles. • Can operate in collaboration with other crisis support services for people
affected by a crisis
Hobfoll, Watson, Bryant, Brymer, Friedman, (2007) identified five empirically supported intervention principles for early to mid‐term stages of crisis intervention
• Calming• Sense of safety • Sense of self and collective efficacy• Connectedness• Hope
Promote these principles for people and communities affected by crisis events
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACRStudy–Findings:
SYMBOLIC MEANINGS GIVEN TO DOGS
Normality
Comfort and calming
Mystique Safety
Attachment
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACRStudy–Symbolicmeaningsgiventodogs
Main findings from AACR study
• AACR dogs are perceived as extensions of crisis counsellors • Operate as a conduit between those that need psychological help and
professions who can provide it
World views can be shattered by disasters. Assumptions about the prevailing sense of safety in the world can be challenged (Hobfoll et al., 2007)
Research shows that generally the utilisation of mental services following disasters is generally low (Rodriguez & Kohn, 2008)
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACRStudy–Findings:
WORKING LIKE A DOG
Training and role
Dog temperament and abilities
Dog empathy
Filomena Bua, 2013
AACRStudy–Workinglikeadog
Main findings from AACR study
• Distinctiveness of AACR dogs, AACR dog handlers, and the human‐dog bond combine to provide a unique service
• AACR dogs are available to people affected by crisis in ways other crisis personnel cannot be
• Dogs as part of the crisis response, also provide natural crisis intervention (calming, BP, etc.) to the more resistant populations (emergency respondents)
Filomena Bua, 2013
Dogsasassistantsforcrisisintervention?
What do you think?
Filomena Bua, 2013
Filomena Bua [email protected] 0430 006 968
ReferencesBelk, R. (1996). Metaphoric relationships with pets. Society and Animals, 4(2), 121‐145
Bowlby, J. (1977). The making and breaking of affectional bonds. 1. Aetiology and psychopathology in the light of attachment theory. British Journal of Psychiatry, 130, 201‐210
Custance, D., & Mayer, J. (2012). Empathic‐like responding by domestic dogs (canis familiaris) to distress in humans: an exploratory study. Animal Cognition, 15(5), 851‐859. doi: 10.1007/s10071‐012‐0510‐1
Eaton‐Stull, Y., Ehlers, C., Ganser, D., Lothrop, G., Rideout, A. & Levenson, A. (2010, March 7). http://www.hopeaacr.org/hope_news.htm. Retrieved August 13, 2011, from www.hopeaacr.org
Friedmann, E., Katcher, A. H., Lynch, J. J., & Thomas, S. A. (1980). Animal companions and one year survival of patients after discharge from a coronary care unit. Public Health Reports, 95(4), 307‐312
Greenbaum, S. (2006). Introduction to working with animal assisted crisis response animal handler teams. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health, 8(1), 49‐63
Hobfoll, S., Watson, P., Bell, C., Bryant, R., Brymer, M., Friedman, M., et al. (2007). Five essential elements of immediate and mid‐term mass trauma intervention: Empirical evidence. Psychiatry, 70(4), 283‐315
Odendaal, J. S. (2000). Animal‐assisted therapy ‐magic or medicine? Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 49, 275‐280
O'Callaghan, D. (2008). Exploratory study of animal assisted therapy interventions used by mental health professionals. Retrieved August 16, 2011, from http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc6068/m1/1/high_res_d/dissertation.pdf.
ReferencesPrato‐Previde, E., Custance, D. M., Spiezio, C., & Sabatini, F. (2003). Is the dog‐human relationship an attachment bond? An observational study using Ainsworth's strange situation. Behaviour, 140, 225‐254
Rodriguez, J, & Kohn, R. (2008). Use of mental health services among disaster survivors. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 21, 370‐378.
Salk, P. (2010, November 8th). Who did Freud use for therapy? Retrieved August 13th, 2011, from http://blog.adoptapet.com/who‐did‐freud‐use‐for‐therapy/
Schaefer, K. (2002). Human‐animal interactions as a therapeutic intervention. Counselling and Human Development, 34(5), 1‐17
Schneider, M. S., & Harley, L. P. (2006). How dogs influence the evaluation of psychotherapists. Anthrozoos, 19(2), 128‐142
Shubert, J. (2012). Therapy dogs and stress management assistance during disasters. Retrieved June 29, 2013, from http://www.cs.amedd.army.mill/amedd_journal.aspx
Siegel, D. (2004). Attachment and self‐understanding: Parenting with the brain in mind. Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health, 18(4), 273‐285
Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. The human bond with other species. USA: Harvard University Press