title: Farm animal-assisted intervention: relationship between work and contact with farm animals and change in depression, anxiety, and self-efficacy among persons with clinical depression.
abstract: Fourteen adults with clinical depression participated twice a week in a 12-week farm animal-assisted intervention consisting of work and contact with dairy cattle. Each participant was video-recorded twice during the intervention, and the recordings were categorized with respect to various work tasks and animal and human contact. Levels of anxiety and depression decreased and self-efficacy increased during the intervention. Interaction with farm animals via work tasks showed a greater potential for improved mental health than via sole animal contact, but only when progress in working skills was achieved, indicating the role of coping experiences for a successful intervention.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway. ingeborg.pedersen@umb.no
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Trine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordaunet
authors.forename: Egil Wilhelm
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Martinsen
authors.forename: Bente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berget
authors.forename: Bjarne O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Braastad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056447:Animal Assisted Therapy; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D001007:Anxiety / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002417:Cattle; D003612:Dairying; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis