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Date of Award
2015
Publisher
North Dakota State University
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Awarded
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Program
Counselor Education and Supervision
Department
School of Education
College
Human Sciences and Education
Faculty Advisor
Nelson, Jill R.
Description
Phenomenological inquiry was implemented to capture the experiences of nine at-risk youths’ unique and shared experiences of a canine animal-assisted therapy in counseling (AAT-C) program at a therapeutic working ranch (TWR) in the mid-western United States. Five females, and four males ranging in ages between 14 – 17 years participated in individual interviews and reflective journaling. In addition, field observations of the canine AAT-C group sessions were conducted on six separate occasions over a period of six months. Horizonalization of the research data was conducted, resulting in four themes that describe a complex and multi-dimensional phenomenon. Themes include: (a) a rippling effect on relational patterns across intrapersonal, interpersonal, and therapeutic domains, (b) cross-dimensional identification and realization of skill attainment, (c) therapeutic factors unique to the presence of a dog, (d) building and expansion of one’s community. A discussion of the relationship with existing literature about canine AAT-C and implications for counseling is addressed.
Recommended Citation
Bach-Gorman, Amber Rae, "Capturing the Essence of Canine Animal-Assisted Therapy in Counseling: A Phenomenological Inquiry of At-Risk Youths' Experiences of a Residential Canine Animal-Assisted Therapy Program" (2015). Education. 164.
https://digitalcommons.ndsu.edu/education/164
Rights
NDSU Policy 190.6.2
Rights Link
https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf
Handle Identifier
https://hdl.handle.net/10365/24887