An Analysis of the Psychological Effect of the Animal Assisted Activities on the Children and Students with School Maladjustment

Abstract

It is widely recognized that touching animals has a good effect on people. Newspaper or magazine articles report that touching animals produces a good effect especially on children, handicapped persons and old men, reduces uneasiness and stress, stabilizes a mental condition and powers the spontaneous cure. In the present study, we tried to analyze the psychological effect of the animal assisted activities on the children and the students with school maladjustment. As a result, in more than 3 sessions of animal assisted activities, scores of POMS (Tention-Anxiety, Vigor, Fatigue, Confusion) and AN-EGOGRAM (NP, FC, AC) have significantly changed. POMS scores (Depression-Dejection, Anger-Hostility) decreased and AN-EGOGRAM scores (CP, A) increased; however, there was no significant difference. These findings show that more than 3 sessions of the animal assisted activities improve psychological conditions (Tention-Anxiety, Vigor, Fatigue, Confusion), and stabilize the ego-state.