An animal-assisted education intervention with dogs to promote emotion comprehension in primary school children—the federico ii model of healthcare zooanthropology

9Citations
Citations of this article
46Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

Abstract

Emotion comprehension (EC) is a crucial competence for children, as it determines the quality of peer interactions. This study assessed the efficacy of an animal-assisted education (AAE) intervention with dogs based on the Federico II Model of Healthcare Zooanthropology (FMHZ) to promote EC in a group of primary school children. One hundred and four children (48 females) aged 6–7 years took part in the study, of whom 63 participated in the AAE intervention (i.e., experimental group) and 41 did not (i.e., control group). The intervention was deployed in a school setting through a group format and consisted of five bimonthly sessions. EC was assessed pre-and post-intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up. Student’s t-test and mixed-model ANOVA were performed to analyze the effect of the intervention on EC. EC significantly improved in children of the experimental group compared to the control group. Significant time effects from pre-to post-intervention, post-intervention to follow-up, and pre-intervention to follow-up assessment were found in the experimental group only. AAE based on FMHZ was effective in improving EC in children.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Scandurra, C., Santaniello, A., Cristiano, S., Mezza, F., Garzillo, S., Pizzo, R., … Bochicchio, V. (2021). An animal-assisted education intervention with dogs to promote emotion comprehension in primary school children—the federico ii model of healthcare zooanthropology. Animals, 11(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11061504

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free