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      How do forensic psychiatric patients experience connection with therapy dogs?

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      SMITH-THESIS-2021.pdf (1.474Mb)
      Date
      2021-05-19
      Author
      Smith, Sonia
      ORCID
      0000-0001-6095-2415
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
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      Abstract
      Prisoners commonly face chronic loneliness and lack social support. Disconnection from life on the outside is especially true for forensic psychiatric patients. Attachment theory indicates that insecure attachment is linked to adult anti-social behavior and subsequent incarceration. According to the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model, cognitive, affective and social factors increase inmates’ risk for recidivism. Canine-Assisted Interventions (CAIs) have been found to offer love/comfort and support to inmates during their sentences. It is unknown, however, how inmates experience connection with the dogs involved in the CAIs. Applying an instrumental case study design, interview transcripts were analyzed from six forensic psychiatric patients and their mental health clinicians at the Regional Psychiatric Centre (RPC) following completion of a Canine Assisted Therapy (CAT) program with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program (SJATDP). Thematic analysis was employed to interpret and identify patterns in the patients’ experiences of connecting with the dogs. Four key themes, and several sub-themes, were identified: physical touch, safety (including “dropping the mask”), reciprocity (including mutual recognition; empathy and mutual understanding; and caregiving), and acceptance (including happiness). Across all of the themes, the connection the patients experienced was shared as enduring. Themes are discussed within the context of the RNR model and implications for offender rehabilitation and recidivism are offered. Attachment theory is used to explain the Human-Animal Bond (HAB) and experiences of secure attachment through it, including how therapy dogs possess qualities of a Rogerian-like therapist to foster therapeutic change
      Degree
      Master of Education (M.Ed.)
      Department
      Educational Psychology and Special Education
      Program
      Educational Psychology and Special Education
      Supervisor
      Claypool, Timothy; Dell, Colleen
      Committee
      Okoko, Janet; McIntyre, Laureen
      Copyright Date
      May 2021
      URI
      https://hdl.handle.net/10388/13391
      Subject
      Canine-Assisted Therapy
      Human-Animal Bond
      Risk- Need-Responsivity
      therapy dogs
      attachment theory
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      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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