Animal-assisted intervention for cognitive stimulation of children and adolescents in a First Episode Psychosis Unit

Published

2013-03-12

How to Cite

Sintes Estévez, A., Colomer Bollo, M., Domènec Elizalde, E., Tor Fabra, J., Dolz Abadia, M., Sanchez Fernández, B., & San Molina, L. (2013). Animal-assisted intervention for cognitive stimulation of children and adolescents in a First Episode Psychosis Unit. Revista De Psiquiatría Infanto-Juvenil, 30(1), 27–34. Retrieved from https://aepnya.eu/index.php/revistaaepnya/article/view/260

Issue

Section

Orginial article

Authors

  • Anna Sintes Estévez l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu
  • M Colomer Bollo l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu
  • E Domènec Elizalde l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu
  • J Tor Fabra l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu
  • M Dolz Abadia l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu
  • B Sanchez Fernández l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu
  • L San Molina l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Keywords:

cognitive deficit, first episode psychosis, cognitive rehabilitation, animal-assisted intervention

Abstract

Cognitive impairment is present from the earliest phases of psychotic disorders in childhood and adolescence and it is so relevant in the prognosis and functionality of patients that in the last decade has raised the need for its evaluation and treatment as an essential part of the therapeutic plans.

Cognitive rehabilitation (or stimulation) is a non pharmacologic intervention empirically validated, that has been conducted in adult patients with psychosis from many decades, but that has been introduced recently in the treatment of children and adolescents, so we don’t have effective and validated programs for this population yet.

Moreover, animal assisted interventions have shown effectiveness as a tool in therapeutic intervention with children and youth with different types of psychiatric or psychological disorders. One of the most important aspects of these interventions is their high motivational value to the child population, in addition to other advantages over other methods of support.

In this paper we present a program of cognitive rehabilitation / intervention for children and adolescents with recent onset psychosis, designed specifically for this population and new because of incorporating teaching and motivational aspects relevant to overcome the limitations of this type interventions.

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Author Biographies

Anna Sintes Estévez, l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Servei de Psiquiatría i Psicologia Infanto-juvenil de l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.

Correspondencia:
Dirección: Carretes 56, 4-1, 08001 Barcelona.
Telf.: 653461801
asintes@hsjdbcn.org.

M Colomer Bollo, l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Servei de Psiquiatría i Psicologia Infanto-juvenil de l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.

E Domènec Elizalde, l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Servei de Psiquiatría i Psicologia Infanto-juvenil de l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.
Centre de Teràpies Assistides amb Animals (CTAC). Barcelona

J Tor Fabra, l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Servei de Psiquiatría i Psicologia Infanto-juvenil de l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.

M Dolz Abadia, l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Servei de Psiquiatría i Psicologia Infanto-juvenil de l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.

B Sanchez Fernández, l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Servei de Psiquiatría i Psicologia Infanto-juvenil de l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.

L San Molina, l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu

Servei de Psiquiatría i Psicologia Infanto-juvenil de l’Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.

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