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Improve
Your Mental Health Down On The Farm
 A recent study has found
that you can improve your mental health by spending some time with animals down
on the farm. A recent article (April 13, 2008) at ScienceDaily has found that
time on the farm with animals, can provide some therapeutic benefit for people
with mental illness. This is the first controlled study conducted on the
therapeutic benefits of spending time with farm animals as opposed to domestic
pets.
Bjarne Braastad and Bente
Berget of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences working in conjunction with
Oivind Ekeberg of the University of Oslo, Norway, have concluded that the
benefits of animals-assisted therapy (AAT) for people with mental disorders
using domestic pets such as dogs and cats has been well-studied. However, there
has not been any controlled trials utilizing farm animals in assisting people
with psychiatric disorders.
Particularly under the
banner of Green care, the use of farms in promoting physical and mental health
is now increasing in the United States and Europe. In the past, this approach
has been used primarily in association with hospitals, psychiatric departments
and other health institutions but today, most of these Green care projects
involve city farms, community gardens, allotment gardens and farms.
To assess the benefits of
using these farm animals to help individuals with psychiatric illness,
researchers asked 90 patients (31 men and 59 women) with affective disorders,
anxiety, schizophrenia, and personality disorders, to complete questionnaires on
quality of life, coping ability and self-efficacy, before spending a 12 week
period of time, three hours twice a week working with farm animals.
The before and after results
found that there were benefits in working with farm animals on self-efficacy,
the ability to cope, and quality of life for patients with long-term psychiatric
illness. Researchers stated: “During the six months follow-up period
self-efficacy was significantly better in the treatment group, but not in the
control group.”
They also added that,
“Further controlled studies are needed for confirmation and to more accurately
define the psychiatric population with the greatest potential for benefit.”
Journal reference: Animal-assisted therapy with farm animals for persons with
psychiatric disorders, effects on self-efficacy, coping ability and quality of
life: a randomized controlled trial. Bente Berget, Řivind Ekeberg and Bjarne O
Braastad. Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health (in press).
Additional Information and
webpage by
Paul Susic
MA Licensed
Psychologist Ph.D. Candidate
(Health and Geriatric Psychologist)
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