Animal-assisted therapy (AAT)
We are researching the perception and efficacy of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) as part of a scientific project.
We examine to what degree animal-assisted therapy has a positive effect on the rehabilitative process for people with brain injuries. To this end, we measure how incorporating animals into therapy affects patients’ socio-emotional behaviour, as well as physiological parameters such as heart rate. We also investigate the degree to which the presence of animals during therapy can contribute to the activation of patients with severe impairment of consciousness.
This research project is being carried out in cooperation with the Swiss Institute for Human-Animal Studies [Institut für Erforschung der Mensch-Tier Beziehung or IEMT Schweiz, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute Basel and the Institute for Psychology at the University of Basel.