ABSTRACT

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has gained popularity within K-12 schools for the emotional-social support, academic support, and sense of belongingness animals provide, however, concerns still arise despite documented potential benefits. This exploratory cross-sectional, quantitative study examined the knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of school counselors and school nurses with AAT to determine potential risks and benefits of AAT in schools. The REHAB Basel Questionnaire was utilized with 426 participants in the survey; school nurses (N = 228, 54%) and school counselors (N = 198, 47%). Results indicated canine ownership, role within schools, and region affected participants’ responses. Future research may seek to focus on establishing guidelines for the implementation of AAT in K-12 schools.

摘要

动物辅助疗法 (AAT) 在 K-12 学校中因动物提供的情感-社会支持、学业支持和归属感而广受欢迎，然而，尽管有证据表明潜在的好处，但仍然存在担忧。这项探索性横断面定量研究检查了 AAT 的学校辅导员和学校护士的知识、态度和经验，以确定 AAT 在学校的潜在风险和益处。调查中使用了 REHAB 巴塞尔问卷调查的 426 名参与者；学校护士（N = 228, 54%）和学校辅导员（N = 198, 47%）。结果表明犬的所有权、在学校中的角色和地区影响了参与者的反应。未来的研究可能会侧重于建立在 K-12 学校实施 AAT 的指南。