1984 was an extremely busy year for Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) research. Clark M. Brickel conducted his own inquiry into the effects of introducing a pet dog into individual psychotherapy sessions of a group of depressed elderly people. Fifteen subjects were randomly assigned to three groups. One group received animal assisted psychotherapy where Fudge, a female dachshund, attended each session. The dog was available to be held, stroked, or talked to. Members of the other groups received conventional psychotherapy or no treatment at all. Average levels of depression in the conventional psychotherapy group fell by 6.4 points. The levels in the AAT group fell by 11.6 points.
An earlier enquiry by Francis, Turner and Johnson studied the effects of visiting puppies and kittens on depressed, chronically ill adults. One group was visited by puppies and kittens, the other by humans (known and unknown). Significant improvements were found on depression rating scales for the pet group. Those only visited by humans showed no improvement.
In 1986 Alan Beck and colleagues investigated the impact of birds on therapy groups for two matched groups of psychiatric patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Daily sessions were held for ten weeks in identical rooms except for the presence of caged finches in one. The group in the bird room showed significantly improved scores in areas relating to hostility and suspiciousness. The study was concluded after ten weeks due to an unexpected development: four out of eight patients in the bird group were no longer in hospital — three discharged, one on extended leave. All patients from the other group were still in hospital.
In 1984 Katcher, Segal and Beck found that dental patients watching fish in an aquarium appeared more relaxed before an extraction, though not to a statistically significant degree.
A more recent Japanese study found that participants experienced a decrease in tension after stroking horses, and that the horses also seemed to enjoy the encounter.
Judy Yates studied the perceived value of a visiting pet therapy program to 7,500 residents in 70 nursing homes. Both nursing home directors and volunteers agreed that the most highly rated benefits related to a general area described as “improved quality of life.”
In 1989 attendance was analyzed at a major US in-patient psychiatric unit over two years. An AAT group attracted the highest percentage of in-patients voluntarily choosing to attend an occupational therapy group. It was also the most effective in attracting isolated individuals regardless of diagnosis.
James Serpell studied changes in general health following the acquisition of a pet. Participants were interviewed just prior to getting a pet and at intervals for ten months afterwards. The general health of those who had acquired a pet was significantly better than that of the non-pet-owning control group. The findings could not be explained by increased walking among dog owners, because a significant effect was also found in cat owners.