18 - Animal abuse and developmental psychopathology: recent research, programmatic and therapeutic issues and challenges for the future

Abstract

18Animal-assisted therapy is a newly evolving field that holds great promise and potential for many populations. As animals become a more significant component of therapeutic interventions with children and adolescents, greater attention is being paid both to the benevolent and the problematic relations that exist between animals and young people. The field of animal welfare has a long history of attempts to enhance children's attitudes toward and treatment of animals. The roles of animals in preventing and treating mental health dysfunction in children and adolescents are also receiving increased scrutiny as are animal welfare issues implicated in elder adult maltreatment. This chapter provides an updated overview of research on the relation between animal abuse and interpersonal violence, a discussion of efforts by animal and human welfare organizations to use this information to expand their scope to areas of common interest, and an illustration of the unique role animals may play in assessment and therapeutic intervention with young people who are psychologically at risk. The new generation of social workers must recognize both sides of the human/animal connection, protecting both people and animals but also see the potential to utilize animals in therapeutic settings and channel these interventions to help the clients connect with themselves, each other, and the world at large.