The effect of horticulture therapy and animal-assisted therapy on seriously emotionally disturbed elementary students in a public school setting: An ethnographic study

Scope of study. During the 1992-93 school year, horticulture therapy activities and animal-assisted therapy activities were introduced into the daily school experience of Seriously Emotionally Disturbed elementary school children. Data from extensive field notes were recorded throughout the school year. Interviews were conducted with school staff, parents and students. Pre and posttests were administered to determine changes in self-esteem, behavior rating scales and on clinical scales of an extensive personality inventory. Gains on standardized achievement tests were analyzed. An analysis of the students' grades, work completion, attendance, earned behavior points and perceived mood was conducted.;Significant declines were noted on the Depression and Family subscales of the PIC. Severity levels increased on the Learning, Interpersonal Difficulty, and Inappropriate Behavior scales of the BES, but remained within the average range. Students exhibited no significant differences from pre to posttest on the Piers Harris Self-Concept Scale.;Findings and conclusions. In-class work completion rates were consistently high (86%). The work completion rate for Reading, Science and Social Studies improved during the second half of the school year. The class maintained an average of 90% of possible behavior points throughout the school year. The class attendance remained at 91% or higher for the school year and was above the school average during the first two quarters of the year. Students who were administered a standardized achievement test (KTEA), averaged a gain of 1 year, 4 months in Reading; 1 year in Math; and 4.5 months in Spelling. The majority of students in the study maintained an 'A' or 'B' average throughout the year.