Animal-Assisted Social and Emotional Learning Interventions in Schools

The aim of the research is to evaluate the impact of incorporating a therapy dog into a social and emotional learning (SEL) intervention in a mainstream primary school setting. The study will be a cluster-controlled trial. Pre-intervention, and post-intervention assessments will be administered as an evaluation of the intervention. Participants will be primary school students from one mainstream school (with two colleges located on the same campus). They will be randomly allocated into one of three groups: 1. SEL Intervention 2. Therapy dog-assisted SEL Intervention 3. Control/waitlist group The interventions will be facilitated by the researcher and provisional psychologists. The sessions will be 1 hour and run once a week for 12 sessions. All facilitators will be trained to facilitate the evidence-based SEL intervention and will receive a manual with activities. The researcher will adapt the SEL intervention to incorporate a therapy dog. The interventions will be run face to face in class groups within a mainstream school setting. Fidelity will be assessed at every session by one of the provisional psychologists. Fidelity measures will be used for each intervention arm. Adherence to the intervention will be monitored through attendance records, an observation checklist of a student's engagement in discussions, a review of the topic at the end of the lesson and a reflection activity at the end of the lesson. Merrell's Strong Kids 3-5 Program was selected as the evidence-based SEL intervention. The program is prevention oriented, practical and feasible to implement in the classroom setting. The topics include: understanding your feelings, understanding other people's feelings, dealing with anger, how thoughts and feelings are connected, conflict resolution, healthy life habits and goal setting. The lessons will be delivered as interactive small group and class discussions, role plays and individual reflections. The program is sequenced, active, focused and explicit. A professionally trained 5-year-old yellow Labrador will participate in the adapted SEL intervention. She has undergone therapy dog training with Lead the Way Institute. The therapy dog-assisted SEL intervention includes regular interaction with the therapy dog during the sessions, recognising her emotions based on her body cues and signs, using scenario examples to include the therapy dog in discussions, role-playing situations where a child is scared of her or likes her and the different thoughts and actions, recognising the different behaviours of the therapy dog in different contexts and situations, discussions about how dogs show anger and their signs, involving the therapy dog in a conflict resolution scenario and how a dog can help with setting up healthy habits in different areas. NB: See attached outline of the program with therapy dog adaptations