The effectiveness of therapy dogs in a South African clinical context : a critical review

Abstract

Depression, loneliness, anxiety, isolation, and a lack of engagement and motivation are symptoms that are prevalent in the clinical context of South Africa. Patients in the South African clinical context face numerous challenges, such as substance abuse, psychotic disorders, stress, and attachment difficulties. However, a brief interaction with a dog yields significant relief and produces positive effects for such patients. Moreover, mental and physical health are closely linked; therefore, enhancing individuals’ physical health can directly improve their mental health. Evidence has shown that through experiencing interaction with therapy dogs, patients encounter numerous health benefits. The primary goal of healthcare professionals in the South African clinical context should be to improve patients’ mental health. Overall, therapy dogs can improve the global functioning of patients and the severity of serious psychiatric disorders. A therapy dog can be defined as a dog that delivers interaction with humans that is of a therapeutic nature, usually in a clinical context, to improve their emotional, physical, social, and cognitive functioning. Therapy dogs work in alliance with a specialised human psychologist to offer motivating and empathetic treatment proposed to facilitate a patient’s recovery. A critical review of scientific literature has been conducted for this research study in order to review what has been examined and written about the phenomenon so far and to provide an all-inclusive account of therapy dogs and the effectiveness of these dogs within

the South African clinical context. The focus on therapy dogs is motivated by the lack of research therein in the South African clinical context. There is a lacuna in research on therapy dogs in the South African clinical context; thus, it is essential for the findings or conclusions to be synthesised, allowing for a clearer empirical understanding of this phenomenon. All the data for the critical review were obtained from English peer-reviewed published studies that scientifically evaluated the effectiveness of therapy dogs in a clinical context in South Africa. Once the search and appraisal of the literature had been conducted successfully, three studies were included in the final pool for analysis. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes for the research study. Important themes that were identified included the following: enhancement of health benefits; motivational tool or technique in therapy; the need for trained professionals; and the lack of research in the South African clinical context. This research study provides a synthesis of the effectiveness of therapy dogs in a clinical context in South Africa. Thus, the research study can be used as a basis for further studies and the application and development of therapy dogs within the South African clinical context. The research study reveals the effectiveness of therapy dogs in a clinical context in South Africa and the importance of implementing therapy dogs to enhance the mental health of patients to decrease anxiety, depression, and seclusion and to increase positive feelings, communication, and a sense of happiness.