Everything you wanted to know about the Assisted Animals Therapies, but were afraid to ask. Part II.

We´ll continue today with a second part of the blog post about Assisted Animal Therapy and this time let's talk about first evaluation program and second play over the designs for research, as the method used in our therapies has to be the scientific method.

EVALUATION.

 In this assessment we will have  few questions:

-Utility:  Does evaluation serve to the needs of the audience?

-Feasibility: is it viable economically?

-Fitness: is it suited to the people affected?

-Reliability: is the evaluation process systematic and technically correct?

These questions would be the centerpiece of our evaluation work, lack an adequate answer to one or to several of them, should that we must redefine our program. Is it worth  to have a perfect idea if you do not have the budget to make it work, or  if users are not happy with it?

Areas of evaluation.

Now that I know what questions can lead the prcess... where can I ask these questions?

There are a few areas that entire program to be evaluated, and these are:

-Mission: it is the goal of the program. To assess whether there is a clear relationship between the mission and the activities of the AAT.

-Enviroment: you should be willing to facilitate activities. What if it rains, or cold, or excessive heat?

-Users: the ultimate aim of our AAT program is the improvement of the quality of life of these.

-Animals: depending on the characteristics of users and the program. A test of conduct for those animal species where applicable, and it´s absolutely necessary.

-Volunteers: it is essential to provide for drop-outs. So what we must seek will be volunteers with experience, who know how to get involved in the program and know how to work as a team. Don't forget your training and encourage their motivation.

-Staff: therapists will work with the staff of AAT and volunteers to decide the goals and strategies appropriate to each patient. You have to know that the goals of therapy are individual.

-Curriculum: it is the content of the AAT. It must conform to each user in particular.

-Cost-benefit: we talked about this point in the first post about this topic. It will be, especially at the beginning, this is battle horse.

-Results: this is the progress of users.

-Long term impact: it is a little difficult to measure, since it is based on the tracking of users who have left the institution (longitudinal study). We want to know if the effects of therapies are maintained at the time.

RESEARCH DESIGNS.

Since the method we use is the scientist, we must follow a few sequential steps, where you can dig deeper into the following link: http://www.uv.es/pitarque/TRANSPARENCIAS.pdf, because I believe that the explanation would exceed the limits of this entry, which is intended to be only informative. Therefore confine myself only to state what types of research designs.

Research in statistical designs.

- T Student test: contrast media for two independent samples. The second Hypothesis is that significant difference between two groups there is no. An example of hypothesis would be that those who have dog more linked in the parks.

-Chi square test: to test the relationship or association between two variables. As an example, we can test the study of the relationship between survival after an operation and ownership of a pet.

-Regression analysis: studying the functional relationship between variables. Study variances that explain a problem.

Single subject design.

In this type of design differences in the subject are not deformed by the average required in statistical design (Sidman, 1960). The objective is to demonstrate the functional relationship (cause and effect) between an event and a target behavior.

The single subject term does not refer exclusively to a patient; It means that data from each individual can be evaluated independently and they are not presented as an average.

- AB Design: This design, also called time series, is the simplest of experimental strategies and allows only tentative conclusions about the influence of the treatment. It consists of a phase in which are carried out assessments (phase A) and another that applies the treatment (phase B). The subject has to sign a conduct until the baseline is stabilized and, subsequently, and after entering the intervention, continue taking measures in continuous mode until a particular pattern of execution. Analysis does not provide any information of the natural course of conduct would have been if we had not entered treatment. It should be reduced to those cases that do not make possible a more extensive experimentation.

-Design of reversal: this form of design is the simplest strategies of experimental analysis in which the treatment variable is introduced and subsequently withdrawn. It is first introduced the line base (phase A), then applies the treatment (phase B) and, finally, so the behavior back to the initial state (phase A) withdraws the same (e.g., Hersen, Eisler, Alford and Agras, 1973). This design allows one greater degree of certainty that the treatment variable is responsible for the observed changes in the conducta-problema. Presents ethical problems derived from that the design ends up a baseline phase, which refuses in part the patient benefits of treatment. They have a certain limitation in the generalization to the clinical field.

-Design base multiple: these designs operate like the reversal, making and testing predictions. The logic inherent in them is to start simultaneously all lines bases and sequentially enter the intervention. A number of behaviors are assessed over a period of time to get the base of each of these lines. Once established the same does apply the variable treatment to one of the conduits, which possibly bring a change in it, while the others will continue with the pattern that had up to that point in time. Then enters a second behavior intervention and there is the same with respect to the other base lines where still not entered treatment. Continue with the process of sequential mode until we apply it to all behaviour starting.

-Design of multiple elements. The design of concurrent program, consists of a first stage of observation of the conduct giving rise to the establishment of the base line. Then apply two or more interventions simultaneously, under the same conditions (e.g., place, time, absence or not of other subjects) than those used during the made records to make the base line.  

Everything you wanted to know about the animals assisted therapies, but were afraid to ask. Part I

I often hear that therapies with animals can be performed by this or that person or group and after getting in touch with them I see that they make everything but not therapy, because they forget that govern it and bases on which they are based. So I have asked bored a little, although I know that going I thank one day, and tell you all these things, or a few, surely you will be necessary if you want to implement a program of AAT (animal assisted therapy).

First  of all, keep this on mind: "the success or failure of an innovation in the organization is a consequence of the interaction between power and policy at many levels: individual, within the Organization, between organizations and the society." (Fost & Egri, 1991). You have to do many efforts to make such interaction encourages you. It's like juggling several balls, it is difficult but not impossible.

Do you know what is the difference between activities / therapies assisted with animals?

Animals Assisted therapy  (TAA) are interventions directed towards concrete objectives as an integral part of a rehabilitation process, through the interaction between animal and patient. These sessions should be directed by a therapist professional, which can be of the branch of psychology, education, physiotherapy, etc. The therapist is than fixed goals, guide the interaction between animal and patient, conducting an evaluation of the whole process and measuring the progress of the same.

Assisted activities with animals (AAA) are recreational activities, with a therapeutic effect but without concrete targets, in which people relate the animal to increase their quality of life. Anyone evaluate or measure the progress of the patient and they can be performed by any volunteer provided to take an animal.

So if I want to "do therapy", this should have some objective (what  do I want to get?); It has to be directed by a professional (good be a canine educator or a technician, animal-assisted therapy is not a therapist); There is an evaluation (what has changed with respect to prior to the AAT program?).

Have you've studied the factors that affect the organization to perform the AAT program?

Do you have management support?

Do you have the support of the CEO or Directors?

 Is there a staff to  support the idea?

Do you  have to hire new staff?

What are the issues concerning security and respectful treatment of animals?

What are the Issues about responsability?

How is the evaluated the efficacy of the program?

Is there a continuous assessment?

What do users think about the idea?

How can you find economical resources (costs)?

How can you control  infections?

Don't forget:

When you are thinking of the design of the program you have to think about both staff and users. You have to have both.

STAFF: trained, experienced and enthusiastic. University professionals, qualified personnel and volunteers.

USERS: Allergies and phobias. Past of animal abuse experiences. Polling the user about his opinion about the AAT.

Which animal should you choose?

You don’t need the same budget to a therapy with horses than one dog and of course is not the same a Chihuahua dog than a Boxer for therapy in penitentiary institutions. Choose well!

The Trojan horse: Economic efficiency.

Start your project gradually, use existing resources; seeks for foundational or corporative  support; charges a fee for service; search for donations and don't forget the sale of products (merchandising).

Responsibilities.

Each Member of the team must assume their responsibilities and in that sense, there is nothing better than an action protocol, IF a worker ignores the standard and don't know where to search, he or she will invent it and often is not the best solution to a problem.

Test day!: results.

What are the criteria to assess the results?

-Cost / benefit.

-Other more economic programs.

-Number of users of the service.

-  There are also other instruments to measure the effectiveness.

Remember to keep track of infections.

They are not common zoonoses (transmission of a disease from animals to man), but a veterinary health plan for animals involved in the program, it is mandatory!.

Meet some of the principles that govern the AAT.

1. All animals will be carefully selected.
2. At the time of recruitment of staff and users will be verified allergies, fear or aversion towards animals.
3. The rights of persons who do not wish to participate with animals are priority, keep clear exclusion zones for animals and be sure they will be respected.
4. Activities with animals must be integrated into the overall treatment plan, with specific objectives.
5. You will be monitored by the staff  those users with a history of animal abuse.
6.  Weekly work sessions must be documented.
7.  The animals will not work more than 5 hours a day.
8. The worker should remember that the use of an animal is not a panacea to work with a patient with problems.
9. The worker should strive to maintain the therapeutic component.

I will leave for the following entry concerning the evaluation of the programme. Anyway if there is somewhere you want to go into more depth you can ask me and I will do everything that is in my hand to clarify all your doubts. Remember that the important thing is to share knowledge...