PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
(1) Background: Dog-assisted therapy (DAT) is an experiential intervention to promote psychological, physical, and social functioning in children and adults. Only few studies have been conducted on DAT in adults with a mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (MID-BIF). The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of patients with MID-BIF undergoing DAT in a mental health care facility. (2) Method: Seven patients completed 13 to 15 sessions of DAT. Within two weeks of completing the program, they were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. The transcripts of the interviews were analysed using interpretational phenomenological analysis. In addition, the patients\' relatives and the DAT therapist were interviewed, and a focus group discussion took place with each patient\'s treatment team. (3) Results: The patients\' experiences were predominantly positive. Physical contact with the dog calmed them down. The dog offered them emotional support and helped them to make contact inside and outside the therapy and the setting where they lived. The patients also liked the fact that DAT focused on the dog rather than their problems, that the therapy was experiential and using a positive approach, and that, during the therapy, they did not feel like a patient but a human being. DAT is a promising therapy for patients with MID-BIF in mental health care facilities, but more research into its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness and ways to implement DAT in clinical practice is needed to make more definitive statements.
摘要：
(1)背景:狗辅助治疗(DAT)是一种体验式干预,以促进心理,物理，以及儿童和成人的社会功能。在轻度智力障碍或临界智力功能（MID-BIF）的成年人中，仅对DAT进行了很少的研究。这项研究的目的是探索MID-BIF患者在精神卫生保健机构接受DAT的经验。(2)方法:7名患者完成了13至15个疗程的DAT。在完成计划的两周内，他们接受了半结构化采访。使用解释现象学分析对访谈的笔录进行了分析。此外,患者亲属和DAT治疗师接受了采访，并与每位患者的治疗团队进行了焦点小组讨论。（3）结果：患者体验以阳性为主。与狗的身体接触使他们平静下来。这只狗为他们提供了情感支持，并帮助他们在治疗内外以及他们居住的环境中进行接触。患者还喜欢DAT专注于狗而不是他们的问题的事实，治疗是经验性的，并且使用了积极的方法，而且，在治疗期间,他们觉得自己不是病人，而是人类。DAT是精神卫生保健机构中MID-BIF患者的一种有前途的治疗方法，但需要对其有效性和成本效益以及在临床实践中实施DAT的方法进行更多研究，以做出更明确的陈述。
