Research in Human-Animal Interaction
Child Development, Health and Therapeutic Interventions
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008
7:00 pm Informal welcome gathering and hospitality hors d'oeuvre
Bethesda Marriott Conference Center Hotel
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008
9:30 am Continental Breakfast and Registration
Neuroscience Center Bldg., 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rooms C, D & E
10:00 Welcoming Remarks
To provide a historical context for the workshop, we ask all participants to read the following in advance: National Institutes of Health (1987). The health benefits of pets. Workshop Summary, NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR), Bethesda, MD.
Yvonne Maddox, NICHD
Cathie Woteki, Mars Inc.
Sandra McCune, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition
10:30-12:30 Panel 1: Understanding Child Development and HAI
Moderator: Peggy McCardle, NICHD
For this panel discussion, we ask all participants to read the following in advance:
Melson, G. F. (2003). Child development and the human-companion animal Bond. American Behavioral Scientist, 47(1), 31-39.
Udell, M. A., & Wynne C. D. (2008). A review of domestic dogs' (canis familiaris) human-like behaviors: Or why behavior analysts should stop worrying and love their dogs. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 89, 247- 261.
Wood, L., Giles-Corti, B., & Bulsara, M. (2005). The pet connection: Pets as a conduit for social capital. Social Science & Medicine, 61, 1159-1173.
10:30 Child development and HAI research - Gail Melson, Purdue University
10:50 The origin of dogs' human-compatible behaviours - Clive Wynne, University of Florida
11:10 Social capital and HAI - Lisa Wood, University of Western Australia
11:30 Respondents: (10 min each)
1. Alan Beck, Purdue University
2. Steve Suomi, NICHD
11:50 Moderated Discussion
12:30 Working Lunch
12:50-2:30 Panel 2: HAI and Child Health
Moderator: Cathie Woteki, Mars, Inc.
For this panel discussion, we ask all participants to read the following in advance:
McNicholas, J., Gilbey, A., Rennie, A., Ahmedzai, S., Dono, J., & Ormerod, E. (2005) Pet ownership and human health: A brief review of evidence and issues. British Medical Journal, 331, 1252-1254
Timperio, A. Salmon, J., Chu, B., & Andrianopoulos, N. (2008). Is dog ownership or dog walking associated with weight status in children and their parents? Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 19(1), 60-63.
Cutt, H. E., Giles-Corti, B., Wood, L. J., Knuiman, M.W. & Burke, V. (2007). Dog ownership, health and physical activity: A critical review of the literature. Health and Place, 13, 261-272.
Cutt, H. E., Giles-Corti, B., Wood, L. J., Knuiman, M.W. & Burke, V. (2008). Barriers and motivators for owners walking their dog: results from qualitative research. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 19(2), 118-124.
Headey, B., & Grabka, M. M. (2007). Pets and human health in Germany and Australia: National longitudinal results. Social Indicators Research, 80, 297-311.
12:50 Physiological correlates of health benefits from pets - Erika Friedmann, University of Maryland-Baltimore
1:10 Childhood obesity and HAI - Jo Salmon, Deakin University, Australia
1:30 Health correlates of pet ownership: the evidence from national surveys - Bruce Headey, University of Melbourne, Australia
1:50 Respondents: (10 min each)
1. Karen Allen, SUNY Buffalo
2. Roland Thorpe, Johns Hopkins University
2:10 Open Discussion
2:45 Break
3:00-5:00 Panel 3: HAI and Atypical Child Development
Moderator: Valerie Maholmes, NICHD
For this panel discussion, we ask all participants to read the following in advance:
Frick, P. J., & White, S. F. (2008). Research review: The importance of callous unemotional traits for developmental models of aggressive and antisocial behavior. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(4), 359-375.
Ascione, F. R., Friedrich, W. N., Heath, J., & Hayashi, K. (2003) Cruelty to animals in normative, sexually abused, and outpatient psychiatric samples of 6-to 12-year-old children: Relations to maltreatment and exposure to domestic violence. Anthrozoos, 16(3), 194-212.
Arluke, A. (2007). Animal assisted activities for at-risk and incarcerated children and young adults: An introductory ethnography of five programs. Unpublished paper presented at the National Technology Assessment Workshop on Animal-Assisted Programs for Youth at Risk. Baltimore, MD.
3:00 HAI and the social-emotional development of children - Brenda Bryant, University of California-Davis
3:20 Animal abuse and developmental psychopathology - Frank Ascione, Utah State University
3:40 Effectiveness and Challenges of the Animal Assisted Treatment Program for Incarcerated Youths - Mika Maruyama - Portland State University
4:00 Respondents: (10 min each)
1. Ellen Netting, Virginia Commonwealth University
2. Philip Tedeschi, Denver University
4:20 Open Discussion
5:00 Adjourn for the day
6:00 Social hour
Bethesda Marriott Conference Center Hotel
7:00 Dinner
Bethesda Marriott Conference Center Hotel
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2008
8:30 am Continental Breakfast
Neuroscience Center Bldg., 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rooms C, D & E
9:00-10:30 Panel 4: Therapeutic use of HAI
Moderator: Sandra McCune, Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition
For this panel discussion, we ask all participants to read the following in advance:
Nimer, J., & Lundahl, B. (2007). Animal-assisted therapy: A meta-analysis. Anthrozoos, 20(3), 225-238.
Johnson, R., Odendaal, J.S.J., & Richard L. Meadows, R. (2002). Animal-Assisted Interventions Research: Issues and Answers. West J Nurs Res; 24; 422
9:00 Health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) - Rebecca Johnson, University of Missouri-Columbia
9:20 Animal-assisted interventions and child psychiatric treatment - Anke Prothmann, University of Leipzig, Germany
9:40 Health benefits of animal-assisted intervention (AAI) - Aubrey Fine, CA Poly State University, Pomona
10:00 Respondents: (10 min each)
1. Ann Berger, Chief, Pain and Palliative Care, NIH Clinical Center
2. Octavia Brown, Centenary College
10:20 Open Discussion
10:45 Break
11:00-1:30 Panel 5: Experimental Design and Methodology.
Moderator: James Griffin
For this panel discussion, we ask all participants to read the following in advance:
Barker, S. B., & Wolen, A. R. (in press). The benefits of human-companion animal interaction: A review.
Wilson, C. C., & Barker, S. B. (2003). Challenges in designing human-animal interaction research. American Behavioral Scientist, 47(1), 16-28.
11:00 Evaluating AAI Programs - Sandy Barker, Virginia Commonwealth University
11:20 Instruments of best practice in HAI research - Cindy Wilson, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
11:40 Quality control and standards - Dennis Turner, Institute for Applied Ethology and Animal Psychology, Switzerland
12:00 Respondents: (10 min each)
1. James Serpell, University of Pennsylvania
2. Thomas Glass, Johns Hopkins University
12:45 Working Lunch
1:30-3:00 Final Session - Building a Research Agenda
Moderator: James Griffin, NICHD
For this panel discussion, we ask all participants to read the following in advance:
Glass, T. A., & McAtee, M. J. (2006). Behavioral science at the crossroads in public health: Extending horizons, envisioning the future. Social Science & Medicine, 62, 1650-1671.
Marino, L., & Lilienfeld, S.O. (2007). Dolphin-assisted therapy: More flawed data and more flawed conclusions. Anthrozoos, 20(3), 239-249.
In this session, we would like everyone to discuss the most important research areas, topics and even specific research questions that the field is poised to answer. Given the earlier discussions, which areas are ready for larger efforts, which areas require additional preliminary data or pilot work, and what do we know that is ready to be moved into "clinical trials" or tested as practical applications. Is there a need for additional measure, measurement techniques, or the development of novel methods and approaches? In addition to participating in the discussion, we ask that, before leaving, each participant leave a written page with the 3-5 research questions/topics they believe are most important for advancing the field.