Parents’ Perceptions of Pediatric Surgical Patients Regarding Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Qualitative Study
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Design
2.2. Sampling and Recruitment
2.3. Data Collection
2.4. Data Analysis
2.5. Rigour
2.6. Ethical Considerations
3. Results
3.1. Participant Characteristics
3.2. Emerging Themes
- General perception of pet therapy
- Parental expectations about benefits for their children
- Expected behavioral impact on the child
- Emotional repercussions on caregivers
- Preferences regarding animals and organizational aspects
3.2.1. Theme 1: General Perception of Pet Therapy
“It is a form of support provided by the animal to relieve anxiety, fears, or worries”,(P_1)
“It helps to emotionally and even physically support the child’s well-being”.(P_3)
“I do not know how to describe it well, but I think it is a good thing”,(P_7)
“I had not heard much about it, but I think it is useful. Animals help, they keep you company, they distract you”.(P_11)
“To me, a dog is a human being on four legs”,(P_14)
“Sometimes, they understand you better than people do”.(P_17)
3.2.2. Theme 2: Parental Expectations About Benefits for Their Children
3.2.3. Theme 3: Expected Behavioral Impact on the Child
3.2.4. Theme 4: Emotional Repercussions on Caregivers
3.2.5. Theme 5: Preferences Regarding Animals and Organizational Aspects
4. Discussion
Nursing Implications and Family-Centered Care
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. Interview Guide
- Have you ever heard of “pet therapy”? If so, how would you describe it?
- Have you ever had a personal experience with pet therapy, or do you know someone who has shared such an experience with you? Could you tell me about it?
- Do you currently have any pets at home?
- If yes, which kind? If not, could you please explain why you do not have any pets at home?
- In your opinion, what are the potential positive effects of pet therapy? Are there any negative aspects?
- Have you ever heard of pet therapy being implemented in hospitals or healthcare facilities?
- What is your opinion about the possibility of including pet therapy as part of your child’s treatment plan?
- What benefits should pet therapy offer your child in a hospital setting?
- In general, how do you think a therapy animal might influence your child’s behavior during hospitalization?
- Which animal do you consider most appropriate for pet therapy? Please explain your reasoning.
- Do you have any concerns or reservations about pet therapy?
- If you had to choose between two healthcare facilities for your child’s hospitalization or procedure, and only one of them offered a pet therapy program, would that affect your choice? Which one would you choose and why?
- If pet therapy were to be offered in the ward where your child is admitted, would you allow your child to participate?
- How do you think pet therapy could help you cope better with your child’s hospitalization?
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ID | Age | Education Level | Number of Children |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 36 | University Degree | 2 |
2 | 40 | Lower Secondary School | 3 |
3 | 46 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 1 |
4 | 43 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 2 |
5 | 36 | University Degree | 2 |
6 | 39 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 1 |
7 | 45 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 1 |
8 | 31 | Lower Secondary School | 2 |
9 | 28 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 2 |
10 | 55 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 1 |
11 | 46 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 2 |
12 | 41 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 2 |
13 | 46 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 2 |
14 | 35 | Lower Secondary School | 2 |
15 | 35 | University Degree | 2 |
16 | 40 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 2 |
17 | 41 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 1 |
18 | 45 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 2 |
19 | 25 | Upper Secondary School Diploma | 1 |
20 | 39 | University Degree | 1 |
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Curcio, F.; Ivziku, D.; Pirisinu, S.; Bertocchi, L.; Gioiello, G.; Camoglio, F.S.; Rangel Restrepo, A.; Notarnicola, I.; Aviles Gonzalez, C.I. Parents’ Perceptions of Pediatric Surgical Patients Regarding Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare 2025, 13, 2207. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172207
Curcio F, Ivziku D, Pirisinu S, Bertocchi L, Gioiello G, Camoglio FS, Rangel Restrepo A, Notarnicola I, Aviles Gonzalez CI. Parents’ Perceptions of Pediatric Surgical Patients Regarding Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare. 2025; 13(17):2207. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172207
Chicago/Turabian StyleCurcio, Felice, Dhurata Ivziku, Simona Pirisinu, Luca Bertocchi, Giovanni Gioiello, Francesco Saverio Camoglio, Adalberto Rangel Restrepo, Ippolito Notarnicola, and Cesar Ivan Aviles Gonzalez. 2025. "Parents’ Perceptions of Pediatric Surgical Patients Regarding Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Qualitative Study" Healthcare 13, no. 17: 2207. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172207
APA StyleCurcio, F., Ivziku, D., Pirisinu, S., Bertocchi, L., Gioiello, G., Camoglio, F. S., Rangel Restrepo, A., Notarnicola, I., & Aviles Gonzalez, C. I. (2025). Parents’ Perceptions of Pediatric Surgical Patients Regarding Animal-Assisted Therapy: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare, 13(17), 2207. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172207