Animal-Assisted Therapy for Persons With Aphasia: A Pilot Study
By Macauley, Beth L., PhD, CCC-SLP, HPCS; Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 357-366Publication Date: May/June 2006
Study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of animal-assisted therapy for people with aphasia. In theory, the use of animal-assisted therapy in conjunction with speech therapy is used to target a desire to communicate as well as improvements in mood, decreases in loneliness, and overall a more enjoyable treatment experience. Three men with aphasia resultant from left-hemisphere strokes participated in the study. The participants received one semester of traditional therapy followed by one semester of animal-assisted therapy. Both therapies proved to be effective, though no significant differences were found in terms of test results. The results of a client-satisfaction questionnaire, however, indicated that the participants enjoyed therapy more and were more motivated during the animal-assisted therapy sessions. Implications for future research are discussed.
Published by:
VA Rehabilitation Research & Development Service (Web Site: http://www.rehab.research.va.gov )
Link to text: http://www.vard.org/jour/06/43/3/macauley.html
