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Does Animal-Assisted Therapy Help Adolescents With Psychiatric Problems?
Can animal-assisted therapy help adolescents who are in hospital because of an acute psychiatric crisis? A randomized controlled trial investigates.
The study, conducted by a team of researchers led by M.C. Stefanini of the University of Florence, randomly allocated patients to either an animal-assisted therapy intervention or no intervention. Both groups continued to receive psychiatric treatment as usual, and those treating them did not know which group they were in. The results are very promising.
The intervention group had better school attendance, higher levels of global functioning, and spent less time in the hospital compared to the control group. “One possible explanation for this success is the role of the animal as a catalyst in the therapeutic process,” the researchers write. “Animals may represent a valid help in therapeutic contexts thanks to their ability to catalyze social interactions and to create a more relaxed environment.” MORE HERE
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Being Disturbed About Being Disturbed
Isn’t it bad enough to be disturbed about events? Now you find out you can even be disturbed about being disturbed about the event.
A person is so afraid to ride in an elevator, that they develop a phobia about it. Soon, not only anxious about elevators, they worry about anxiety about elevators. “Something is drastically wrong with me,” they think; “Maybe I’m going crazy.” “I should not be so anxious about elevators that I can’t use them; that’s an awful problem; I can’t stand to have this fear; I must certainly be inadequate.” “I know I’m losing control; soon I’ll bet I won’t be able to take care of myself at all; I’ll wind up in a mental hospital.”
Can you see how they are not only fearful of elevators, but down on themselves for being afraid of them? In this case there are two A-B-C sets:
- Activating event A1: Elevator ride
- Irrational belief B1: “I couldn’t stand to be trapped forever.”
- Emotional consequence C1: Anxiety (about being trapped).
- Activating event A2: Anxiety at C1 (about being trapped).
- Irrational belief B2: “I should not be anxious about elevators.”
- Emotional consequence C2: “I’m crazy.” Anxiety (about the anxiety).
We might find it more efficient to work on the secondary set of A-B-C’s first. Once the person can think differently (more rationally) about having an emotional reaction, they may be more able to concentrate on working through the first set of A-B-C’s.
Do you also have a few sets of secondary A-B-C’s that prevent you from making progress?
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