Impressions of the Impact of Dolphin-Assisted Therapy by Treatment Team Members
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Authors
Delaney, Stephen J.
Issue Date
2011
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
"animal assisted therapy","dolphin assisted therapy”,“treatment for autism spectrum disorders"
Alternative Title
Abstract
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is becoming a more mainstream treatment modality in clinical psychology. The implementation of animal-assisted therapy is expanding past private practice clinics and is currently used in various clinical settings and clientele. More specifically, the research has investigated the use of animal-assisted therapy with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Water Planet USA is an innovative program that provides an integrative approach to treatment for children diagnosed with developmental disorders, specifically autism spectrum disorders. Water Planet USA is located in Panama City Beach, Florida. It is one of the only programs in the country that includes animal-assisted therapy, specifically dolphin-assisted therapy, as a component of their therapy programs. The wild dolphin encounters are what attract families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders from all around the world to take part in the therapeutic program offered by Water Planet USA. For this study, six interns and employees of Water Planet USA were interviewed. The major themes included the children's perceived positive affective reaction before, during, and after the dolphin encounter, the observed short-term and long-term behavioral changes after the dolphin encounter, and the perceived therapeutic component of the dolphin.