Motivation To Use Animal Assisted Therapy Among Psychotherapy and Counselling Graduate Students

Though there is evidence of the benefits of incorporating Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) in counselling, this therapy is obscure to many Canadian students. This online study explored Canadian counselling and clinical psychology graduate students' attitudes toward, and perceptions of, AAT. Responses obtained from 224 students indicated that 37% of students are motivated to use AAT and 48% are motivated to learn more about it. Participants with higher motivation were more likely to be females, older, counselling students, and have pets. Students recognized many advantages of using AAT, such as improving health and reducing stress, but also identified important concerns for the welfare of clients. Furthermore, students reported receiving no AAT materials or supervision in their academic programs, but the majority of them are interested in attending symposiums or workshops on AAT. These findings can be used to increase awareness of students’ interest in educational and professional programs on AAT.M.A