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Abstract In the past twenty years Pet Facilitated Therapy (PFT) has been used, apparently successfully, with several populations, including nursing home residents. Studies report positive behavior changes as a result of PFT intervention, but little effort has been made to quantify such behavior changes. This study presents the results of a PFT program in a nursing home setting. Results were positive, and were measured using the Patient Social Behavior Scale, designed for this study. Nursing home residents showed an increase of social behaviors from pretest to midpoint and from midpoint to post test, but these behaviors declined four weeks after post test. Although both males and females showed an increase in social behaviors, males' and females' response patterns differed.
Perelle et al. (Fri,) studied this question.