Clinician perspectives on the human-animal bond and its impact on levels of compassion and prosocial behavior

Author

Pear M. Wilson, Smith College

Publication Date

2014

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Animals-Therapeutic use, Human-animal relationships, Compassion, Animal welfare, Social adjustment, Animal assisted therapy, Human-animal bond

Abstract

Animal-assisted therapy is an increasingly popular mode of therapeutic treatment, supported by a body of research that has grown significantly in the past decade. Thirteen seasoned clinicians utilizing the human-animal bond (HAB) were interviewed about the HAB's impact on clients at the internal level of experienced compassion and the corresponding external level of pro-social behavior. Major finding were that clinicians overwhelmingly endorsed the HAB as an effective intervention in increasing client capacity for compassionate mindfulness and engagement with others in a more satisfying and pro-social way. Participants strongly recommended that the field of social work be more inclusive of animal-assisted therapy and proposed investigations of the mental health benefits of the HAB, both in research and inclusion in graduate-level curricula. Additionally, findings brought forth animal welfare as a domain for necessary concert in implementation of the HAB in clinical work as well as the greater field of social work.

Language

English

Comments

v, 65 pages. Thesis (M.S.W.)-Smith College School for Social Work, 2014. Includes bibliographical references (pages 55-57)

Recommended Citation

Wilson, Pear M., "Clinician perspectives on the human-animal bond and its impact on levels of compassion and prosocial behavior" (2014). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/843