The biological and psychological basis of pet therapy / animal-assisted therapy
and what this means for practice
‘A comprehensive, scientific foundation for human-animal therapy.’
(Judith Solomon)
In recent years, the ancient symbiosis between humans and their pets has entered
a new phase, marked by the burgeoning clinical specialty of human-animal
therapy. This approach uses the relationship between humans and their (mainly)
mammalian pets to support the growth of emotion regulation, social skills, and
mental health in children, adolescents, and adults.
But how are humans and animals able to develop close bonds at all? What makes
it possible for animals to have a therapeutic effect on humans? And how can we
best use this understanding in animal-assisted therapy?
In this unique book, a team of expert biologists and psychologists integrate and
combine sophisticated biological and psychological knowledge to answer these
questions. Together they have created a comprehensive, scientific foundation for
human-animal therapy, a foundation that will facilitate the development, implementation,
and evaluation of effective new interventions.