Angela K. Fournier - Animal-Assisted Intervention: Thinking Empirically

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This Palgrave Pivot imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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This is a little book with some big ideas. The overall purpose is to promote empirical methods toward developing a deeper understanding of animal-assisted intervention the practice of incorporating animals into procedures aimed at improving human health and well-being. Animals have been affecting our health and well-being throughout history. Inclusion in organized activities or treatments is a more recent development, with empirical investigations even more recent than that. Scholars have been thinking empirically about animal-assisted intervention for some time now, and the evidence base is growing. My aim in this book is to add fuel to the fire, introducing new ideas on measurement , experimentation, and interpretation. The premise is to move away from applied studies that focus solely on human outcomes and move toward more basic research , testing theory-driven hypotheses addressing the role of the animal in the intervention process. Content is centered around a deeper analysis of humananimal interaction and the animal as a key intervention component. To date, research focuses on the humans receiving the intervention and measures a wide array of human outcomes. There is very little study of just how humans and animals interact and which interactions with or features of the animal are therapeutic. In other words, we havent examined whether the animal is a critical ingredient in animal-assisted interventions . My hope is that this book provides some ideas and methods for turning the microscope in that direction.

The book will be useful for scholars and practitioners in animal-assisted intervention . For academics, this book may validate the empirical work you are already doing and spur ideas for expansion. Perhaps you will think of new variables to investigate or new ways to investigate those you have already studied. Research on animal-assisted intervention is evolving, with studies gaining in rigor over time. Individual studies addressing a myriad of populations and outcomes are being summarized in systematic reviews and meta-analyses, providing a wider lens to see the big picture. Studies are shifting from largely applied, correlational studies that describe relationships to experimental studies testing hypotheses. In this book I propose another shiftfrom focusing exclusively on the intervention outcome to examining the intervention process. Several means for doing this are provided; hopefully it is just the beginning of a deep dive into the practice and purpose of humananimal interactions within animal-assisted intervention.

For practitioners of animal-assisted intervention those of you who share your time, talent, and in many cases your four-legged family membersthe hope is that this book inspires you to question thehowandwhyof your work. In your own practice, you probably already see the effects of the work you and your animal(s) do. People doing animal-assisted therapy and learning likely gather prepost data to determine client progress. Those doing animal-assisted activities probably note changes in recipients affect, behavior, and attitude. My hope is that reading this book validates any current empirical inclination and pushes you further. Perhaps you will start thinking about just how it is that your animal assists you in helping others. Is it the way the animal looks or acts? Is it something about the species or breed? Are there certain clients who seem to benefit more from interacting with your animal than others? Are there certain behaviors your animal performs that foster health and wellness? Thinking empirically to ask these types of questions can inform your practice, allowing for even greater reach.

So heres to big ideas and moving our field forward. Working together to think empirically, we can demystify animal-assisted intervention and promote positive practices.

Writing this book has been a wonderful experience and Im grateful to everyone at Palgrave Macmillan for this opportunity for personal and professional growth. Thank you to Rachel Daniel, senior editor, for initiating the process, coordinating the proposal and review, and starting me on this adventure. Thank you to Madison Allums, editorial assistant, for working with me throughout the writing process, answering questions and providing guidance. And thank you to the production team for completing the process and turning my words into a beautiful book.

Ive been fortunate to work on animal-assisted intervention through teaching, research, and clinical practice. Im grateful to mentors, colleagues, and friends in each of these areas for their support and encouragement. Dr. E. Scott Geller was my doctoral mentor at Virginia Tech. As Im writing this, he is starting his 50th year as a psychology professor. His dedication to teaching, learning, psychology, and science is awesome and I am grateful for his continued mentorship and support. I am thankful to Dr. Thomas Berry, who was my undergraduate mentor in psychology at Christopher Newport University and has remained a supportive mentor. Tom has been instrumental in developing the ideas and conducting much of the research discussed in the book. Im grateful for his support and collaboration. After taking a hiatus from studying humananimal interaction, a bright graduate student renewed my interest with her masters thesis on equine-assisted therapy. That student, Elizabeth Letson, has since become my colleague in delivering and researching animal-assisted interventions. As owner of Eagle Vista Ranch & Wellness Center (EVR), Liz has partnered with me to conduct both basic and applied research. She courageously turns her pasture into a laboratory and works with my students and me to study humanhorse interactions. Im grateful for her passion and curiosity around helping people through animals and nature, and her kind, patient collaboration on research. Thank you to Jennifer Laitala, equine specialist at EVR. Jen has given her time and energy to research projects, meetings with students, and brainstorming sessions. I appreciate her perspective and am grateful for her collaboration.