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Patients Warned Against Opting for Dolphin 'therapy' to Treat Any Disorder
December 19, 2007 at 4:35 PM
General Health News
Lori Marino, senior lecturer in the Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology Program, and Scott Lilienfeld, professor in the Department of Psychology, has launched an educational campaign against claims made by supporters of what is known as dolphin-assisted therapy (DAT).
"Dolphin-assisted therapy is not a valid treatment for any disorder," said Marino, a leading dolphin and whale researcher.
She added: "We want to get the word out that it's a lose-lose situation for people and for dolphins."
Marino said that swimming with dolphins may be fun and a novel experience but any scientific evidence does not exist for a long-term benefit from DAT.
She further said that people spending thousands of dollars for DAT not just lose out financially but they put themselves, and the dolphin, at risk of injury or infection.
And in way they are supporting an industry taking dolphins from the wild in a cruel process, often leaving several dolphins dead for every surviving captive.
After reviewing five studies published during the past eight years, the researchers found that the claims for DATs efficacy were invalid.
"We found that all five studies were methodologically flawed and plagued by several threats to both internal and construct validity," said Marino and Lilienfeld,
They added: "We conclude that nearly a decade following our initial review, there remains no compelling evidence that DAT is a legitimate therapy, or that it affords any more than fleeting improvements in mood."
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guest
07/28/2008
People spending thousands of dollars for DAT, could spend just as much on other animal therapy, such as interactions with horses or dogs, or simple water therapy. The only reason to single out DAT from other Animal Assisted Therapy is to advance a general agenda against having dolphins under human care. There is no scientific evidence that DAT participants put themselves or the dolphins at any greater risk of injury or infection than many other aquatic activities. In fact, swimming at some beaches is probably more dangerous! Participants are certainly no more at risk of inter-specific "infections" that people who work with horses or dogs or swim at the beach. Granted, facilities differ exponentially in quality of care given to both dolphins and guests. If you are motivated by dolphins, more so than horses or dogs, please seek out a facility that is an Alliance member is certified by some other agency/organization for their strict standards of care and safety.
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guest
12/26/2007
Dolphin-assisted therapy is an effective and worthwhile endeavor. Medical science may not be able to quantify the benefits of this therapy but can quickly and easily measure wild dolphin capture rates and injuries resulting from dolphin encounters. The dolphins used for therapy serve as nothing more than a motivational aid. I have witnessed and been involved in DAT sessions and the results are very real. I cannot speak to the longevity of the results, but visible gains in confidence, communication skills, and focus were very apparent in the short-term.
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