Methodological and Terminological Issues in Animal-Assisted Interventions: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews

Abstract

Recently, animal-assisted interventions (AAIs), which are defined as psychological, educational, and rehabilitation support activities, have become widespread in different contexts. For many years, they have been a subject of interest in the international scientific community and are at the center of an important discussion regarding their effectiveness and the most appropriate practices for their realization. We carried out an umbrella review (UR) of systematic reviews (SRs), created for the purpose of exploring the literature and aimed at deepening the terminological and methodological aspects of AAIs. It is created by exploring the online databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library. The SRs present in the high-impact indexed search engines Web of Sciences and Scopus are selected. After screening, we selected 15 SRs that met the inclusion criteria. All papers complained of the poor quality of AAIs; some considered articles containing interventions that did not always correspond to the terminology they have explored and whose operating practices were not always comparable. This stresses the need for the development and consequent diffusion of not only operational protocols, but also research protocols which provide for the homogeneous use of universally recognized terminologies, thus facilitating the study, deepening, and comparison between the numerous experiences described.

Nature’s Role in Outdoor Therapies: An Umbrella Review

“…While long-acknowledged as practices across cultures, outdoor nature-based therapeutic interventions have grown significantly in number and type in recent years [ 3 ]. Outcomes research has supported outdoor therapeutic approaches as improving the lives and wellbeing of those experiencing mental health issues [ 4 , 5 ] as well as for general health promotion [ 6 ]. While an evidence base is present supporting exposure to nature and green spaces as ‘pathways’ toward comprehensive health benefits [ 7 ], a lack of comprehensive theoretical and conceptual articulation exists specifically for nature’s contribution or role in psychotherapy and mental health outcomes, leaving outdoor therapies without an explicit theory of change for their application as a clinical practice.…”

Presence of Campylobacterjejuni and C. coli in Dogs under Training for Animal-Assisted Therapies

“…The benefits of interaction with dogs in the healthcare context mainly consist of outcomes from animal-assisted therapies (AATs), defined as a therapeutic intervention incorporating animals to improve health and wellness [ 2 ]. In particular, AATs with dogs represent non-pharmacological therapies or co-therapies to support psychotherapy or other therapies [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. AAT interventions have been applied to address different kinds of illness, including adults and children with autism spectrum disorder [ 8 , 9 ], people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias [ 10 , 11 , 12 ], and during psychotherapy for adolescents [ 13 ].…”

Microbial Sharing between Pediatric Patients and Therapy Dogs during Hospital Animal-Assisted Intervention Programs

“…AAI has been widely implemented in a range of physio-social conditions in various settings in healthcare facilities and is becoming increasingly popular, especially for pediatric patients. AAI is an umbrella term that encompasses animal-assisted therapy (programs with a set clinical outcome), animal-assisted education (programs with a set educational/developmental outcome), and animal-assisted activities (programs without a pre-specified outcome) [ 1 , 2 ]. The most commonly reported patient benefits include a reduction in patients’ requirement for pain medication, enhanced socialization, and reduced stress and anxiety [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”