Colleen Dell
All Authors:C. Dell1, B. Kosteniuk1, M. Cruz1, D. Chalmers2. 1University of Saskatchewan, Canada; 2University of Regina, Canada
Background
Canine-assisted interventions are a promising approach to help address substance use and mental health issues in prisons. However, prison canine-assisted interventions have not been well explored in relation to experiential learning (EL) theory, despite these and EL aligning in many ways. This presentation assesses the pilot offering of PAWSitive Support, a canine-assisted learning and wellness program guided by EL for prisoners with substance use issues in a Western Canadian jail.
Methods
Two PAWSitive Support human-dog teams attend the jail once a week for two hours, for five weeks, to integrate an EL component into the jail’s substance use program. Prisoners put substance use health concepts into practice through interactions with and learning about the dogs, their welfare, and connections to human wellbeing. Letters written by participants to the dogs at the conclusion of the program were systematically reviewed for key learnings related to the correctional setting and EL theory.
Results
The letters highlight the unique impacts of the canine-assisted learning program in this correctional setting, as well as the benefits of its EL approach. The program: (1) shifted relational dynamics and the prison-learning environment, (2) benefited prisoners’ thinking patterns and perspectives, and (3) helped prisoners apply key learnings to recovery from addiction and mental health challenges.
Conclusion
Implications related to clinicians’ practices (e.g., rapport building), prisoners’ health and wellness (e,g., show compassion), and prison programming (e.g., express emotions) are shared. Future research in this area should include randomized controlled trials as well as longitudinal and mixed methods designs.