Effect of Animal Assisted Interventions on Inmates: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This study aims to examine animal-assisted interventions used in penitentiary institutions and to examine the effects of these interventions on prisoners. In the literature review conducted within the scope of the study, the words "animal assisted, pet assisted, dog assisted, horse assisted, interventions, therapy, inmate, prisoner” were used in combination. Seven studies that met the inclusion criteria were examined. One of the studies in this study was conducted according to the experimental design of the quantitative research method, one according to the quasi-experimental design of the quantitative research method, one to the mixed method, and four to the qualitative research method. As a result of the review of the seven articles discussed within the scope of the study, it was seen that the animal-assisted interventions used in penitentiary institutions positively had affected the psychosocial health of prisoners, helped prisoners gain new skills in self-awareness, coping with negative thoughts and coping with stress, self-expression, anger and negative emotion management, and self-care skills and maladaptive prisoner behaviors such as self-harm and aggression. It was also found that the prisoners were satisfied with these practices. These results have led to the conclusion that animal-assisted interventions may be beneficial in penitentiary institutions.

Keywords

• Animal assisted therapy
• pet-assisted therapy
• prisoners
• prisons

Hayvan Destekli Uygulamaların Tutuklu Bireyler Üzerine Etkisi: Sistematik Bir Gözden Geçirme

Öz

Bu çalışma ceza infaz kurumlarında kullanılan hayvan destekli uygulamaları incelemek ve mahkumlar üzerine olan etkisini ele almak amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında yapılan literatür taramasında, “hayvan destekli (animal assisted, pet assisted, dog assisted, horse assisted), uygulama (activities, interventions therapy), mahkum (inmate, prisoner)” kelimeleri kombine edilerek kullanılmıştır. Dahil edilme ölçütüne uygun yedi çalışma incelenmiştir. Çalışma kapsamına alınan makalelerden biri nicel araştırma yönteminin deneysel desenine, biri nicel araştırma yönteminin yarı deneysel desenine, biri karma yönteme, dördü ise nitel araştırma yöntemine göre yapılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında ele alınan yedi makalenin incelenmesi sonucunda ceza infaz kurumlarında kullanılan hayvan destekli uygulamaların mahkumların psikososyal sağlığını olumlu etkilediği, mahkumlara öz farkındalık, olumsuz düşünceler ve stresle başa çıkma, kendini ifade etme, öfke ve olumsuz duyguları yönetme ve öz bakım becerileri konularında yeni beceriler kazandırmada yardımcı olduğu ve kendine zarar verme ve saldırganlık gibi uyumsuz mahkum davranışlarını azalttığı görülmüştür. Aynı zamanda mahkumların uygulamalardan memnuniyet duyduğu ortaya konulmuştur. Bu sonuçlar, ceza infaz kurumlarında hayvan destekli müdahalelerin yararlı olabileceği kanaatini oluşturmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Tamamlayıcı terapiler
• Ev hayvanları
• Mahkumlar

Kaynakça

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