Humans with Mental Disorders Working with Farm Animals (original) (raw)

Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, 2007

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a lack of scientific studies using farm animals in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for persons with mental disorders. This Norwegian study used video records to study the working abilities and behaviors of 35 severely ill psychiatric patients in interacting with farm animals during a three-month intervention. The patients showed higher intensity (difference score: 0.26 ± 0.05, p < 0.0001) and exactness (difference score: 0.31 ± 0.06, p < 0.0001) in their work at the end of the intervention, particularly patients with schizophrenia and personality disorders. The patients spent most relevant time in physical contact with the animals, feeding, cleaning, and milking cows. Among patients with affective disorders, increased intensity of work correlated significantly with increased generalized self-efficacy (rs = 0.82, p = 0.01) and decreased anxiety (rs = −0.7, p = 0.05). For the patients with schizophrenia and personality disorders no correlation was found between the behavioral parameters and the effect scores of psychiatric instruments. Occupational therapy with farm animals may be beneficial to some persons with mental disorders.

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