• Find People
  • Campus Map
  • PiratePort
  • A-Z
    • About
    • Submit
    • Browse
    • Login
    View Item 
    •   ScholarShip Home
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Master's Theses
    • View Item
    •   ScholarShip Home
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Master's Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of The ScholarShipCommunities & CollectionsDateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeDate SubmittedThis CollectionDateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeDate Submitted

    My Account

    Login

    Statistics

    View Google Analytics Statistics

    The Child Life Specialists' Perception of Animal Assisted Therapy Within a Pediatric Oncology Population

    Thumbnail
    View/ Open
    DOOBROW-MASTERSTHESIS-2016.pdf (753.7Kb)

    Show full item record
    Author
    Doobrow, Becca
    Abstract
    When a child receives the life altering diagnosis of cancer, it is often the beginning of a whirlwind of endless hospitalizations, procedures, checkups, and a multitude of side effects related to the disease. All of these events, especially hospitalization, can be traumatic and stressful for a child. Animal assisted therapy (AAT) utilizes the human-animal bond in goal directed interventions to improve physical and psychological well-being in humans. Child life specialists are nonmedical personnel that provide education and therapeutic interventions, including AAT, that address the psychosocial needs of children and families during times of stress. The purpose of the current study was to understand child life specialists' perception of animal assisted therapy in a pediatric oncology setting. An online survey was distributed to child life specialists at 23 children's hospitals offering AAT. Twelve certified child life specialists (CCLS) responded to the survey and provided data about their perceptions about the value of AAT for pediatric oncology patients and their perceptions of the benefits of AAT on physiological and psychological responses during preparation for medical procedures and during procedures. Participants from twelve difference hospitals responded, with eleven reporting they perceive AAT to be very beneficial to pediatric oncology patients. All participants (N=12) reported AAT to be very beneficial for the physiological responses of pain, movement, and stress and also perceived AAT to be very beneficial for the psychological responses of mood/happiness and interaction/communication in a pediatric oncology setting. A thematic analysis of the participant's narrative responses revealed the following four themes related to their AAT program: 1) desire for expansion, 2) restrictions/limitations, 3) challenges, and 4) overall satisfaction. Implications for implementing AAT in the pediatric oncology setting, recognizing the benefits of AAT with the pediatric oncology population, and strengthening the research of AAT with the pediatric oncology population are discussed.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10342/5353
    Subject
     child life; child life specialist (CCLS); pediatric oncology 
    Date
    2016-05-03
    Citation:
    APA:
    Doobrow, Becca. (May 2016). The Child Life Specialists' Perception of Animal Assisted Therapy Within a Pediatric Oncology Population (Master's Thesis, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship. (http://hdl.handle.net/10342/5353.)

    Display/Hide MLA, Chicago and APA citation formats.

    MLA:
    Doobrow, Becca. The Child Life Specialists' Perception of Animal Assisted Therapy Within a Pediatric Oncology Population. Master's Thesis. East Carolina University, May 2016. The Scholarship. http://hdl.handle.net/10342/5353. February 20, 2019.
    Chicago:
    Doobrow, Becca, “The Child Life Specialists' Perception of Animal Assisted Therapy Within a Pediatric Oncology Population” (Master's Thesis., East Carolina University, May 2016).
    AMA:
    Doobrow, Becca. The Child Life Specialists' Perception of Animal Assisted Therapy Within a Pediatric Oncology Population [Master's Thesis]. Greenville, NC: East Carolina University; May 2016.
    Collections
    • Human Development and Family Science
    • Master's Theses
    Publisher
    East Carolina University

    East Carolina University has created ScholarShip, a digital archive for the scholarly output of the ECU community.

    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Send Feedback